


The Lost Merman

by catqueen220



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Mermaids
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:21:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 54,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24209632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catqueen220/pseuds/catqueen220
Summary: Nick:For the first 18 years of my life I thought I was just a normal everyday person. I live in California with my mom and oh, by the way i'm allergic to salt water. Fresh water? No problem which is great since I'm the fastest swimmer on my high school's swim team. Good enough to get a scholarship and catch the eye of the US Olympic Team. What I never told anyone was that I was starting to feel more comfortable in the water than out of it. And what about the dreams I keep having? Swimming in the ocean with the most beautiful blonde girl I've ever seen. To bad she's only in my dreams... or is she?Serina:Over the centuries her people had faded in to myth and legends. Now that the world is catching up with their technology their King wanted to bring his people completely back into the oceans. The only problem was that their people on the Olympic committee think they've found the lost son of one of their people and it was up to her find out if it's true. Only one problem... he could be her mate.
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

Prologue

The woman walked through the palace doors heading towards the throne room where her father, Titus, had called her. Even after all this time she still marveled over the intricately carved marble walls that told the story of how her people had come to this planet nearly twenty-five thousand years ago. Her ancestors, the Antirians, had fought a global catastrophe on their home world and lost. They had no choice but to watch as the oceans that had been their home for a millennia were destroyed. It had been her twenty something times great grandfather who had given the order to build the ships that had brought them here after a nearly fifteen hundred year journey through the skies until they had finally found the first planet with seas... Earth.

It was only after landing that they had discovered there were people already living there. They were so far behind them technologically to the point that they were primitive, still living in caves. Her people had known that their presence would do more harm to the people so they had hidden from them. Keeping to themselves in peninsula separated by a huge mountain range while they had built their palace. Over the years the natives had found ways to cross the mountains and discovered their city. To them, her people were gods and while most were content to worship them from a far, afraid of what they could do, after a thousand years they started wanting more and more contact with the water gods as they were called. It had been her ancestor the Great King Poseidon who, unwilling to risk the destruction of another world, had made the decision to move their people into the oceans to keep from destroying the balance of power on their new world.

After the final pieces of the palace were finished the order was given to destroy the mountains that they had once hoped would keep them safe. As the mountains fell so did their city, into the waves protected by a power source drawn from the earth itself. As the years went by the city and her people slipped in to myth and legends, the people on land had called it Atlantis. To her people it was home....

__________________________________________________________

Chapter 1

King Titus watched his youngest daughter walk towards him. She looked so beautiful in the emerald gown, which matched the sparkling sea green of her eyes perfectly. Her golden hair laying in a single braid over her left shoulder was long enough that it touched the belt that hung low on her hips. He had to grin at the traditional sword on one side and a modern firearm on the other. Of all his children, twenty-three in all, it was surprising to him that she was the closet to him in personality and demeanor. Which unfortunately had kept them at each others throats for years when they were together.

"You called for me father." she asked as she stopped in front of him and bowed.

"Serina love, I have a job for you." At only eighty-four years old she was still the baby in his family and in human years she looked no older then eighteen. In their species it was not unheard of for them to reach nineteen hundred years. Titus himself had already seen over a thousand years.

Serina sighed moving closer to her father, "I just returned from the Western Seas, can't you let Nix handle this." at a hundred and eight her brother was more then capable of handling anything their father needed. Plus he had been sitting here for a month relaxing while she had been representing the family because her father refused to leave the palace anymore.

Raising from his throne and walking to her Titus never failed to intimidate her. At six foot six he was half a head taller than she was, his black hair and beard, only now starting to have threads of silver in it were the complete opposite of her's. "If I had wanted your brother to handle this I would have sent for him." taking her arm and leading her to his private chambers behind the throne room. "Serina I know that you're tired."

Nodding to the guards as they bowed to them as they passed. "Tired doesn't begin to cover it. Uncle Hirim is..." cocking her head in annoyance.

Laughing at her look. "I know my dear..." Patting her hand, he knew full well what his youngest brother was like. "My brother does like his comforts doesn't he."

"Comforts... is that what you call them?" raising an eyebrow. "A harem would be more fitting. Dear god I thought having twenty-two brothers and sisters was bad. I can't imagine having eight-five." Smiling for a second, "Although the christening for Joaquina was beautiful." laughing. "Did you get the photos I sent you?"

Titus laughed, "Yes I did and I agree the baby is beautiful." Their people had their own communication systems long before the 21st century but she and her brother had taken it upon themselves to set up modern services just in case. Since the beginning they had sent envoys on land every hundred years to study and learn about their cohabitants on this planet. They had watched them move out of the caves into huts and then homes. Had watched them wage war after war against each other for centuries, one generation after another. They had seen them move onto great ships capable of crossing their oceans. It had seemed natural for them to try and help when they could but their people, with their gifts, were seen as wizards and witches and had watched thousands of innocents burn in the great hunts. When Titus's father Ronan, the former King, had past in 1635 and Titus had been crowned King his first order was to call their people off land and back into the seas to keep them safe. In the 1800's came the transatlantic telegraph cables crossing the seas, it was his people who laid them. When the Landers wanted to start drilling for oil in the seas it was their companies that told them where to drill, in places far away from their cities. 

Then tragedy had struck again in 1931. His mate Verita and their oldest son had been killed after Christian's mate Annie, a Lander, had betrayed them to a scientist working for the military. They had set a trap when Verita had convinced Titus that they needed to meet Christian's mate and he had left the palace for the first time in over a century. Both women had been in the last month of their pregnancies and Verita had been thrilled at becoming a grandmother again and Titus was unable to deny her anything. Of all of them Titus was the only one to survive, having destroyed the scientist, his men and Christian's mate after Christian and Verita had been mortally wounded. When he returned to the palace he surprised everyone by bringing his newborn daughter with him, Serina, explaining that Verita had gone into labor and delivered before dying of her wounds.

Then the Great Wars had started interrupting their grief and with them came great leaps in technology. The landers now had submarines that had started invading their seas with bombs and depth charges capable of mass destruction. After thousands of years of peace their world was being invaded and Titus had no choice but to send his people back to the land. What they had learned was shocking and frightening, the Landers had progressed quicker then he had expected and they were now able to move among them without standing out. With that his people had moved into positions of power around the world. They then started businesses using the treasures found at the bottom of the seas to fund them, giving them access to the higher governments and society. 

When Nix had wanted to study on land in the 1930's he had let him as a way of learning how far Landers had progressed. He and Verita had lost five children and he had lost two brothers in the World Wars. Serina had idealized her older brother and as soon as she was old enough she had begged her father to let her follow him onto land. Despite his best efforts to keep her in the palace he was as helpless to deny her as he was Verita. She loved the schools and quickly learned everything she could about current technologies. She now owned one of the largest computer companies in the world, specializing in under water sonar equipment, manufacturing and marine studies to protect their people.

Titus brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear with a sight. "I am sorry to ask this daughter but I'm afraid this is something your brother can't help with." he told her sadly. "It requires your unique touch." 

Studying her fathers face she knew there was more to it then what he was saying, "What is it father? What have you learned?" she couldn't remember ever seeing her father this concerned and that was a scary thought.

Sitting on the sofa he patted the seat next to him for her to join him once the doors where closed and they were alone. "This must stay between us daughter."

"Of course father." taking his hand worried. "What's happened?"

"I received word from Kerrigan. They believe they've found the child?" not elaborating he knew she would understand what he was referring to.

Shocked she stood up, "That's not possible, Lionus swore the child was dead. That he hadn't survived the birth, he wouldn't lie." If he was really alive then...

Titus understood her panic, if Lionus had lied it could mean the destruction of their race. "I know he was your friend and you trusted him."

"He betrayed us father," More angry at herself for what had happened than for what Leo had done. "I may not have agreed with his sentence but the protection of our people must comes first. I understood that." Keeping herself calm as she remembered the screams as her friend had been executed. "If the child lives and is discovered it would mean the exposure of all of us. The Landers aren't ready to know about us, someday soon I hope but not now." shaking her head. She looked at her father and stood up straight knowing what he wanted her to do but asking anyway. "Tell me what you want me to do?"

His eyes flashed for a second before taking her hand. "Find him and if it's true that he lives. Do what you must."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Oh come on move it!" followed by the honking of a horn.

"Take it easy mom, the races don't start for an hour and we're only three blocks away." Laughing as his mom honked again. For someone so tiny, barely five foot six, Mary Ruthers was a force to be reckoned with when she was on a mission. His mom had raised him alone after his father had disappeared the day Nick had been born. She never talked about his dad so all he knew was that they had met at the Aquarium in Dallas where they had both worked and she had fallen in love with him at first sight. She said there was something about him that just drew her to him but that his family had forbidden him to be with her. The couple hadn't listened and had run away together. She always said that the only thing that would have kept him from being there for them was if his family had killed him. Nick felt that was what she wanted to believe, instead of the fact he had just abandoned them. When he had been old enough to ask she told him that his father had been a very special man with a secret that she would share with him one day. He had just turned eighteen and she was still unwilling to tell him what she knew. Nick figured his dad had been a part of a criminal organization or involved in drugs and was probably dead somewhere.

Nick was thankful that they managed find a place for their beat up Volkswagen Bug in the last row at the Aquatic Center. This was his last high school tournament, next year he would be starting collage with a full swimming scholarship here in Long Beach. Nick didn't like to brag but he was kind of a legend in his high school. He had broken every swimming record the school ever had before his Junior year. His grandmother Casey used to joke that he was half fish but his mother had freaked out every time and she had eventually stopped calling him that. "Mom go find a seat, I gotta go check in." grabbing his bag out of the backseat.

"Nick be careful okay." calling out as he ran off. Watching him run out of sight, this was the time she was always the most scared. For the last eighteen years she had watched for signs that he had inherited any part of his fathers blood, knowing he would be under a death sentence if he had. So far the only thing special was his speed in a swimming pool but even that she felt drew to much attention. The problem was he loved swimming so much that she couldn't hold him back. 

Now he wanted to study marine chemistry and that terrified her. She had been lying to him for years by telling him he was allergic to salt water to keep him out of the ocean. He had been thirteen years old the one time he had lied to her and went to the beach with his friends just after moving to California. She had received a frantic call at work from Billy's parents and had rushed to find him on the beach screaming. He told her it felt like his legs were being stabbed all over. Mrs Frick had said he hadn't even been in the water a minute before the pain started. The paramedics had wanted to take him to the hospital but she had refused. After dumping two gallons of fresh water on his legs the pain went away and they had let him go home. To her relief he had never went near the ocean again, but now he wanted answers as to why salt water effected him so much. She knew the time was coming when she would have to tell him the truth and wondered if he would even believe her. Looking around at the crowd she saw the same two men that had been at the last four competitions. She didn't know why but she just felt that they were watching her son. 

"Mrs Ruthers," Coach Nettles called out through the crowd coming over to her, "I saved you a seat with the team." shaking her hand. "You should stay close for this one. I think Nick's ready to break his own record." laughing.

Following him to the stands. "God I hope not." When he looked at her she added. "I'm running out of room for his trophies." hoping he didn't see how that news had effected her.

Laughing, "At this rate you may have to build him his own trophy room." stepping closer. "I had another call the other day from the Olympic Committee, they've had scouts at the last few meets." Looking in the direction of the two men she had seen. One was on the shorter side with a thin face and a rather large nose with light brown hair while his friend was the exact opposite. He was tall, broad shouldered, with jet black hair and completely gorgeous, even she was willing to admit that. "They want Nick on their team. I know he says he doesn't want that but you need to talk to him. This could be the beginning of fantastic career for him."

"Thank you Coach Nettles," breathing a sigh of relief to know who the men were. "But I know my son. He just wants the scholarship swimming can get him. He's not interested in fame." Thank God for that, she thought to herself.

He started to protest but the commentator chose that moment to call the teams together and he left. Finding her seat with the other parents she smiled at the people she had known for the last four years, they all had a reason to be proud of the team. They were there to cheer their kids on while she was there to save hers if she had too.

The time flew by with Nick easily winning every race he was in, in record time. As the Coach expected he even broke his own record twice in the shorter races. Even kids from the other schools were coming up to him to congratulate him and for the first time she realized he had the same magnetic draw his father had and immediately went on alert. People just liked him whether he beat them or not, he was able to make friends with anyone. As the last race was getting ready to start she noticed a teenage girl join the two scouts. She looked to be around Nick's age and wondered if they were trying to use her to get him interested in joining the Olympic team. She had to laugh, leave it to them to get another swimmer involved and she was obviously a swimmer. She had the same build as her son, slim but strong. What did surprise her were the men's reactions to her. It was almost as if they were working for her, making Mary think she must be good for them to be so attentive. 

All of a sudden the girl turned and looked right at her, at least Mary thought she did. They stared at each other for a second before the girl turned back to the men as the buzzer rang and everyone took their seat for the 200 meter butterfly, Nick's specialty.

"You ready for this kid?" The coach asked Nick as he took the platform.

"Yeah Coach, I'm ready" Looking out at the water. Lately it felt like the water was calling to him, something he was afraid to tell anyone, especially his mother.

Coach Nettles took a second to look at the finest swimmer he had ever had the pleasure of coaching, wishing he wasn't graduating. "Look Nick when this is over I want to introduce you to some people from the Olympic..."

Nick looked at him. "Sorry Coach but I'm not interested."

"Damn it Nick, you have a gift." Kyle Nettles had been a swim coach for the last fifteen years and he had never come across such a naturally born swimmer as Nick.

"Thanks Coach, but I just needed a way to pay for collage. I got my scholarship, I want to study the seas not swim in them." moving into position.

The coach stepped back shaking his head, no matter what Nick planned he knew once he put his mind to it he could do anything. The buzzer called for first mark and then they were off. Watching Nick was like looking at a dolphin swimming in the ocean. No one knew how he did it, it was like he became part of the water itself. 

For Nick the second he was under the water it was like coming home, he didn't understand and it was starting to scare him a little. There were times now that he didn't want to surface, he had even started dreaming about swimming in the ocean again. Looking up to see the sun shimmering on the surface while he was safe in the waves not needing air to breath as he and a beautiful woman with blonde hair and sea green eyes smiled as she swam beside him. The sound of the buzzer and the crowd cheering was the only thing that brought him out of his thoughts. He didn't even remember the race but people were running to him to help him out of the pool slapping him on the back and congratulating him. It had been close but he had just missed breaking the world record time for the race. Michael Phelps held the record at 1:51:51 and his time had been 1:52:50, that did beat one of Phelps old records of 1:53:71 from 2007 though. 

Once he was out of the water Nick felt a strange sensation come over him, like he couldn't breath and fell to his knees. Three of his team mates caught him along with the coach and laid him down on the side of the pool. 

Mary had already been running to him when the crowd went silent and she saw him fall. "Nick!" pushing everyone out of the way. "Nicky baby!" Seeing him gasp for air when she knelt beside him. He looked at her and her heart skipped a beat when she saw his eyes. "Close your eyes baby and breath, you're going to be fine." grateful when he didn't question it and just did what she told him to. 

Seeing his mom helped and Nick closed his eyes trying to relax and just like that he was fine. Taking a deep breath he sat up. "Man that sucked." making everyone laugh to see he was alright. His friends grabbed his arm and helped him up as he waved to the crowd to let them know he was fine. Everyone cheered as he walked to the locker room, his mother close behind, "Mom stop I'm fine, you can't come in." stopping at the doorway. "This is the guys changing room."

Grabbing his chin she turned his face so he was looking at her, "Look at me." wanting to check is eyes again. Now they were the same greenish gold they always were and not the solid black she had seen a few seconds ago. "Alright go on, but if you feel funny you holler for me."

Rolling his eyes, "Fine mom I will." turning and heading in with his team mates cheering for him.

Mako, one of his team mates, leaned over to Nick "Your mom's still a little paranoid isn't she." Mary heard him say.

Nick laughed not wanting to worry his friend, but he felt like maybe this time his mom had a point. "At least she cares."

"Yeah, I guess that's cool," he said slapping Nicks back. "at least she shows up. You know how many meets my dad's made it to in the last two years. Three." he said as they walked off. His dad worked for a travel magazine as a writer and it kept him out of town a lot. His mother Ana Maria on the other hand ran a car lot that she and her brother inherited after his grandfather's death two years ago so she was able to be there just like Nicks mom. Smiling he waved to her in the stands and saw her giving him two thumbs up with a grin.

Several of the other parents came over to Mary wanting to make sure Nick was okay. She knew all of them by now and knew they were just looking out for her son. She told them he had just been exhausted after the race and had needed to catch his breath. Trying to put on a brave face as her heart pounded, it seemed Nick had inherited more from his father then she had known. Turning to head to the stands she bumped into one of the two men she had been watching, the attractive one. "I'm so sorry, are you alright?" he said grabbing her arm to steady her.

"Yes, thank you." laughing she realized she was still holding on to his arm. "I'm not usually this clumsy." Looking up to see the dark haired man watching her.

"Mrs Ruthers I assume.” She nodded, “Is your son alright?" he asked and he seemed genuinely concerned when she looked up at him. 

There was something about him that set the hair on the back of her neck to tingling. "Oh yes he's fine, just a winded is all." Holding her hand out. "And you are?"

"James Kerrigan, I'm with the US national team. I was hoping to talk to your son about joining." walking with her.

"I'm afraid Coach Nettles already told us you were here." she smiled at him. "I'm sorry but I think the best thing for Nick is to get some rest right now, but if you have a card I'd be happy to give it to him and have him call you."

She thought she saw a flicker of something in his grey eyes before he was able to cover it. "Of course, we'll be in town for a few days longer." Reaching into his pocket he pulled a card from his wallet and handed it to her. "Please have him call us, I'd really like a chance to talk to him."

"I will certainly give this to him." taking the card and putting it in her purse knowing Nick wouldn't care. 

"You and your husband must be very proud of Nick. He's an excellent swimmer. Almost as if he were born to it." Kerrigan looked down at her and she saw him grin.

Turning to him she sat down in her seat not sure what to make of him. "Oh I am very proud of Nick, he's my pride and joy. Unfortunately we lost his father when he was four so..."

Looking surprised he smiled at her, "I'm so sorry to hear that." the announcer came over the PA saying the awards would be given out momentarily. "Well I better get back to my seat. I look forward to hearing from you both." Shaking her hand again and walking off. 

Mary watched him as he went to join the others, thinking there was something familiar about him but she couldn't place where she had seen him before. As she watched him it looked like the girl was arguing with the other man she hadn't talked to. A few minutes later she relaxed when she saw them leave just before Nick and the others came out to receive their awards. She stood up and cheered with everyone else, no matter what she loved her son and was so proud of him.

The coach had planned a party at a local pizza place and Mary was surprised that Nick asked her to come with them. Normally he preferred to just hang out with his friends after a meet but after what had happened she was glad he wanted her with him. The team came in carrying Nick on their shoulder yelling "Nicky, Nicky, Nicky". It looked like the entire restaurant was filled with students from their school and everyone was up cheering for them when they came in. It didn't take long before she pushed her worries aside and just celebrated with the rest of them, she could worry later.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Serina waited for Kerrigan’s partner Lorenzo, a slimy little man she had never really liked, to open the door to the hotel penthouse before arguing. "I'm not saying it's not him, I'm just saying there isn't enough proof."

"Your Highness you saw him." Lorenzo started to say.

Turning to him, "Yes I did, but that doesn't prove he's one of us. Hell Kerrigan how many time did you send people to watch that Philips boy."

"Phelps and too many your Highness." Laughing, "But you have to admit that boy did have talent." sometimes working for the US national team had it's benefits.

"Yes and he still does." smiling at her old friend. Before heading up the Lander unit Kerrigan had been her bodyguard when she had first started university sixty years ago. For two years the poor man had to follow her around until she convinced him to take a few classes for himself. Then they had become room mates as well as friends. "He's also human, just a very good swimmer."

Lorenzo stepped closer as Serina sat down and Kerrigan handed her a glass of brandy. "What do you wish us to do now your Highness? Do we continue to follow him?" he was looking for any way to ingratiate himself to the royal family. Galen had plans and he hated letting a child not even half his age order him around, princess or not.

"No," taking a sip from the glass, brandy was one of her guilty pleasures. Normally her people didn't drink alcohol because it effected them differently then Landers. One shot to a Lander was like five to them. "You have done your job well but my father sent me to take care of this and I will." Even if she didn't like it. Throwing back rest of the glass she got up, "Keri do me a favor and call the house, tell them to get it ready. I'll stay here until..." her eyes rolling.

"I already did." catching her as she started to sway. "When they told us you were coming." after all the time they had spent together he knew she was faking it because of Lorenzo. "Come on your Highness, Galen go finish your rounds." Picking her up and carrying her to the master bedroom while Lorenzo glared but went to do his nightly sweep. Once they were inside he dropped her on the bed with a laugh. "If I had drank that much I'd be on my ass. How do you do it?"

"Beats me." She smirked as she took off her coat and tossed it in the chair. "Maybe I've just gotten used to it. I take it you have a file on the kid." propping her feet up on the coffee table.

Going over to the desk Kerri pulled out a folder. "We've been following him for the last two months."

Kicking off her shoes she sat back watching him. "Well are you going to tell me or do I have to read the report." Laughing at him when he tossed the folder to her with a grin. "Fine be that way!" sitting up.

Keri smiled sadly, "He seems like a good kid Seri." sitting down on the edge of the bed across from her. "After everything that happened to Leo I wasn't sure if I should even say anything but Lorenzo sent in the report before I could stop him."

Surprised she took a second to study him. He looked like a Lander in his late twenties, which considering he was actually three hundred and seventy-eight was pretty good. "Keri you know we can't risk..."

Jumping up. "Risk what Seri?" he was the only one she allowed to call her that. "He just turned eighteen, he's a baby compared to us. If he is Leo's son," shaking his head, "then he's family. Why can't we just explain to him what he is and the danger it poses?"

She understood how he felt but it was complicated, "He wasn't raised as one of us James," he gave her a look at her using his first name, "he was raised as a Lander. What if he decides to tell everyone, to prove that we exist? I don't like it anymore then you do." rubbing her head feeling a headache starting. "But I have my orders."

"If we can teach him what to do and how to live like us, what risk would he pose. It's not like he's the first half breed ever to be born to us." looking at her he couldn't believe what she was saying.

She knew the stories as well as he did. "Tell me what you know about him." to change the subject

Sighing he sat down across from her, "His mothers name is Mary Ruthers and from what we've been able to find she was in Texas nineteen years ago. She and her mother Edith moved there when she was seventeen."

"The same age as Leo's woman." she remembered.

"His girlfriend Serina. You've been underwater too long, you're slipping back into old ways." laughing as she hit him with a pillow.

"Maybe I have. You spend a month with Uncle Hirim and see how well you're doing." laughing for a minute then turning serious. "Leo never told me her name. What about you? What did he tell you about his mate?"

"I never met her Seri, I would have told you during the questioning. But when I meet her tonight she does look like his type, petite and blonde. She's a remarkably beautiful woman... I'm just being honest." he added at her raised eyebrow. "Anyway they lived in Corpus Christi at the right time and she did work at the aquarium one summer. The timing fits."

"Alright I'll give you that." reading the papers as he talked.

"They moved to Oklahoma about a week after Leo was caught. Nick's birth certificate says he was born there but we checked and there's no record of his birth at the hospital, they just processed the birth certificate. He's an excellent student, very smart, top 5% of his class. He joined the swim team in junior high as way to make friends."

"He's not social" she asked. That would be a point in his favor.

Kerrigan had to laugh. "He was considered a nerd until he got to high school. I talked to some of his teachers, they said he was brilliant but very quiet and shy, they also said that his mother was very overprotective and get this," slapping at her foot, "she said he was allergic to saltwater."

"You've got to be kidding me?" thinking that was one way to keep him away from them. "And is he?"

Grinning he shook his head, "I don't know, we haven't been able to get close enough to test it. He and his mother moved to Long Beach after her mother died when he was twelve. I haven't been able to find out why they moved to a beach but they did. They have a two story house three block from the community center where he's been teaching a kids swimming class for the last three years. Mary works at a water treatment center as a chemist which follows what Leo said his girlfriend was studying. Nick's been given a full swimming scholarship to the University of California here in Long Beach and he's studying Marine Chemistry." smiling he added, "Like mother like son."

"How?" looking at him. "If he's allergic to saltwater, how can he work with it?"

"Do I look like I studied chemistry?" raising his eyebrow. "I have three law degrees, how the hell would I know. All I can tell you is that he's working with the samples brought back from biologists. He doesn't actually do the diving."

"Alright." Smiling at her old friend, "You better get going or Lorenzo's going to start spreading rumors." watching him head for the door. "Keri," he turned back to her. "Thank you for this," holding up the papers. "and don't worry I won't do anything without considering all of our options."

He looked sad, "We both know that Leo's death wasn't necessary. It was outrageous and just plain wrong."

"Yes it was and it should never have happened." standing up and hugging him. "But we have to follow our kings orders. Whether we agree with them of not."

"We should have spoken up for him and you know it. If Nicholas is his son, please don't make the same mistake." Squeezing her hand, he didn't need to elaborate they both held to much guilt and they knew it. "We lost a part of our family, we owe his son more than that." 

"Why do you think I'm here." She whispered as he left her to think about what he’d said.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Nick was exhausted by the time he and his mom got home, all he wanted to do was crawl in bed and sleep for a week. He knew his friends meant well but so much was happening to him that sometimes he thought he was going crazy. Add in whatever it was that had happened at the meet and he was ready to commit himself to the nut house. He was stretching out on his bed using his iPad to look up mental illnesses and trying to relax when his mom knocked on his door. "Come on in mom." Stashing the pad under his pillow.

Mary shook her head as she looked around his room when she walked in. Any other teenage boy would have posters of cars or women on the walls but not her son, no he had pictures of marine life and sea organisms. Even his desk had piles of books and microscopes. "I just wanted to say how proud I am of you. You were wonderful today baby." ruffling his hair. 

Trying to duck, "Come on mom," laughing. "I love you too."

"I do love you honey," suddenly serious. "I wanted to ask how you're feeling. You know you sacred me when I saw you go down."

"I'm okay mom, I think I swallowed some water that's all." not wanting to scare her when he didn't know what was happening himself.

"Nick," sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Honey I hate to throw this at you but I've been thinking that maybe... maybe it's time we talked about your father."

Sitting up fast he nearly knocked her off the bed. "You never want to talk about him. Why now?"

"I know Nick but," taking a deep breath as she got comfortable again, "what happened to you at the meet," looking at her son wondering if he would believe her or not. "I think it might be something you inherited from him."

"Inherited what mom?," she looked so scared to tell him he almost told her not to worry, that he didn't want to know. "Look mom I know you loved him and all but don't you think it's time to admit that he just left us."

"He didn't leave us Nicky." shaking her head.

Getting up to look at her, he was upset that she refused to admit the truth. "Then where is he mom. It's been eighteen years, where was he when Nana died? Just admit it, he didn't want to be a father so he left."

"Oh honey, yes he did." grabbing his arm. "Your father loved you so much. He wanted to be with us more then anything."

"Then what happened mom? Why did he leave, you think I inherited something from him, is that why he left, because of me." That was the one thing he always had wanted to know. 

Pulling him down to sit next to her. "Nick there is so much I should have told you. Long before now, but I was so afraid of what would happen to you. If you would even believe me..."

Taking her hand. "Why wouldn't I believe you. You've always been there for me. None of my friends have moms like you." Taking a deep breath. "Mom there's something I need to tell you but I need to ask you something first."

"What are you talking about? You know I'll always answer anything you ask." she said sitting up.

Nick looked away from his mom as he sat back down, "You always told me my dad was special. I need to know if he had any mental problems."

"Mental problems?" not sure why he would ask that. "No your dad was just a sane as you and me."

Getting up again he walked over to his bookcase and pulled out a folder he had hidden behind some text books. "That's just it, I don't know if I qualify as sane anymore." Handing her the folder. "I didn't want to scare you but I think something is wrong with me mom."

Mary could hardly breath as she looked at the drawings in the folder. Beautiful pictures of coral reefs and the face of a young woman smiling as she swam under the waves. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"

Sitting in the chair at his desk. "The dreams started about a year ago."

"Dreams?" putting the folder down and taking his hands. "Tell me."

Her tone didn't give him a choice, "At first it was just once in awhile, now it's like every time I close my eyes it's all I see. Every time I swim I don't want to stop, it's almost like an addiction. Then today at the meet, I don't even remember taking a breath until I got out and then I couldn't breath until I heard you calling me, I relaxed and everything was fine. Is that something that happened to my dad?"

"Nick your dad was very special, and yes," grabbing the folder, "this is something your father would have loved to have seen."

"Are you sure?" feeling a little better. At least if his mom knew what was happening to him than maybe he wasn't going crazy. "What is it? Some type of schizophrenia."

"No baby," he may be eighteen but at time he seemed so much younger then that, something else he inherited from his father. "Nick there is so much more to this then you could possibly understand." Sitting back she made her decision. "You know I was only seventeen when I met your dad." and saw him nod.

"I know you met at the aquarium where you were working." rolling his eyes. That wasn't a part of his mom's life he wanted to discuss.

Slapping his leg. "Your dad was so handsome, with his dark hair and green eyes every girl wanted to get close to him. There was just something about him that drew people to him, something else you inherited from him, but he was very private and I thought very shy. Then one day as they were locking up for the night I forgot my purse and I talked the night guard into letting me in to go get it. I knew Leo worked at night but I didn't see him anywhere and yes I was looking for him." laughing at his look. "I found my purse and was heading out." Nick just sat there listening his mother. She had never told him this much detail before. "I didn't plan to be there but it was a full moon and the light shining on the main tank was so beautiful I just took some time to watch the fish swimming around. I used to love watching them." Wiping her eyes as she remembered the most important moment of her life.

"Mom what aren't you telling me?" knowing her to well.

"I just don't know how to tell you this part. If it was someone else telling me I'd think they were making everything up or that they were crazy."

Nick loved when his mother got nervous and started rambling, "Mom it can't be that bad. He wasn't some serial killer was he?"

She ran a hand through her short hair, "Oh no nothing like that. Leo was the most wonderful, kind man in the world. He was just..."

"Special." Nick finished for her.

"He was more then special Nicky. You have to understand that it was such a miracle to meet him. To learn who he was, it was like finding out unicorns where real." Remembering the way she had felt, she knew Nick didn't understand yet but god help her he was about to. "Nick I was just standing there watching the tank and all of a sudden I saw him. He was swimming in the tank, not with scuba gear or the air hose he was just swimming. He was so beautiful all I could do was stare at him. Then the next thing I knew I saw a tiger shark swimming towards him and I knew it was going to attack him so I started banging on the glass trying to let him know to look out. I was so surprised by what I saw next that I actually fell on my butt watching."

"What Mom, what happened to him?" he wasn't just asking out of curiosity, he had seen this exact same scene in his dreams since he was little. It was one reason he was so fascinated by the ocean.

Looking up at him. "He smiled at me and just before the shark got to him he used his tail to swim up so fast the shark hit the glass. He watched the poor thing shake itself off then he rubbed it's nose. I was in shock watching him with this creature that if it was any other person it would have ripped them apart... but it played with him like a dolphin and trainer. They swam back and forth turning in circles like it was happy to see him. I don't even know how long I stayed there watching them but he looked at me and cocked his head the same way you do when you want something. He was underwater but I heard him in my head asking me to meet him on the upper railing and I did. I had no idea what I was going to say when I got there but he was just pulling himself out of the water. I could see the colors in his fins..."

"Fin? Mom," standing up and looking at her, "what are saying?"

"His legs were a tail Nick, all blue and golden. It was why I hadn't seen him earlier, in the moon light he was camouflaged in the water. Nick your father... he wasn't human." making the confession eighteen years too late.

"No," starting to pace. "No you're lying. What's that suppose to even mean? That isn't possible." running into the living room.

Following him out. "Nick stop, wait! You have no idea how dangerous this is. I've been so afraid of telling you."

"Afraid of what? Me finding out that you're insane." turning to look at her.

"Nicholas Andrew Ruthers how dare you." standing there with her hands on her hips. "Do you have any idea how hard this is for me. To see the doubt and questions on your face. Your entire life I have never lied to you about anything and I'm not lying to you now. I know this must be a shock but..."

"But what Mom!" throwing his arms in the air. "You're seriously telling me I'm what... only half human. Then what the hell am I?"

"You are my son." Grabbing his arms to stop him from pacing. "I love you Nicky, I would never do this to you unless I had to. I have prayed since the day you were born that you wouldn't have your fathers abilities but honey today at the meet and now you show me these drawings." holding the folder up, "What I've been afraid of for so long is coming true. You are your fathers son."

"What exactly does that mean?" feeling light headed he fell back onto the couch.

"Leo was a Merman." Just saying it sounded ridicules even to her. "At least that's what we call them."

"A mer...a merman." Not quite sure he had heard his mother right. "As in fish tails and gills?" Raising his head to look her in the eye. He had always known when his mother was lying or holding back something and god right now he wished he was getting that vibe from her but god help him he wasn't.

When he remained silent she patted his leg. "I have a picture of him if you're ready to see it." getting up and going to the hope chest in the corner when he just stared at her.

"You have a picture of my dad..." swallowing hard, "with a tail?" watching as she pulled out a knob on each side them pushing in a button that made a secret door open. "What are you some kind of spy?"

Trying to smile, she would have if she wasn't so nervous. She pulled out a small photo album. "I've kept this hidden from everyone, I haven't even looked at it since you were a baby." Handing it to him. "Open it honey. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I just..." as he opened the cover she stopped talking.

Nick couldn't believe what he was seeing. Page after page of a young man swimming in the ocean or the tank where his mom had worked. Him sitting on the beach with his arms around Nick's mother. He recognized the mans nose, he saw it everyday in a mirror and knew he was looking at his father as unbelievable as it seemed. He had black hair while Nick's was dark blonde like his mom, though she had started dying it lighter, they both had broad shoulders perfect for swimming, but there was one major difference. In every picture this man had a tail just like a fish.

"How is this..." flipping from one page to another. "How is this even possible?" looking at his mother. 

"His people came here when humans were still basically living in caves. He told me his ancestor was a general in the royal guard who saved the life of their king. As a reward he was named a Lord of the Court so when their planet was being destroyed they settled on three ships that traveled until they found a planet with oceans."

Nick laughed a little hysterically at that. "So not only was he a merman he was an alien." not believing a word of it.

Shrugging her shoulders. "Well considering they've been here for nearly a sixty thousand years I would hardly call them aliens."

"Mom!" Jumping up. "Please just tell me this is some sick joke. Please I can't be... I can't." Starting to breathe fast as well as shake.

Taking his hand as he fell hard on the seat "Honey you are the same person you always were. Nothing's changed."

"Nothing's changed?! Are you high?!" Seeing her look so hurt stopped him. "I'm sorry Mom but this... this is too much. What am I suppose to do now?" 

"You do what you planed on doing? You just have to be careful." 

"How careful? What happened at the meet? Something happened because you didn't just come home and decided after eighteen years to tell me my father was half fish or an alien or whatever." throwing his hands in the air.

Damn he was smart she thought taking a deep breath. "You tell me. What happened after the last race? You couldn't breath out of the water right."

Nodding "That's what it felt like. It was like my throat was closed or something but it only lasted a minute." deciding to tell he everything. "and I couldn't see right."

"Nicky I've watched you since the day you were born hoping you didn't have too much of your fathers DNA. Then you snuck away and went to the beach with your friend." she still had nightmares about that day.

Remembering the pain Nick nodded. "The burning from the salt water. The way my legs tingled and burned. I'll never forget the way that felt."

Mary brushed the hair out of his eyes. "You were starting to change, if I hadn't gotten there..." hanging her head. "Then today I saw your eyes, they were black just like your fathers were underwater. He told me that he had an extra lens, like a shark, that protects from the salt water. Has that ever happened before?"

"No never, what does that mean mom?" trying his best not to panic.

"I don't know Nicky, when you first started swimming I panicked but the fresh water never seemed to bother you. I mean sure you liked long baths but there was never any changes. I just don't know honey."

"What's happening to me? I can't take the scholarship, I can't let anyone finding out." Jumping up and pacing again. "If I am changing how do we find out? I can't risk getting in a pool again. Everything I've ever worked for... it's all gone." Running to his room and locking the door.

Mary tried for an hour to get him to open up and talk to her, silently cursing the fates that had given him her stubborn streak. Eventually she gave up and turned back to the living room. Gathering the photo album she sat down flipping through pages remembering the only man she had ever loved. Remembering the fear in his eyes the first time he had came out of that tank to see her standing there. She had laughed and asked why he was afraid only to have him ask why she wasn't. She had been a little nervous when his tail had turned into legs as they dried but only because he was as naked as the day he was born but he had quickly grabbed his clothes as she turned away to let him dress. Leo had begged her not to tell anyone and she promised not to say a word if he agreed to meet her the next day to explain. He had been so late she thought he had run away but he did show up. Meeting her on the beach an hour late, he had been so nervous he said he almost hadn't come. They had talked for hours about who he was and why he was there. He told her he was breaking every law that his people had by telling her but he said that meeting her had been part of his fate.

It was rare for his people to find a true mate but they would always know them because of their dreams. He said it was like their two minds would connect even before meeting and that he had dreamed of her for more then a year before they had met at the aquarium. He said when he realized she was a Lander, what his people called humans, he had nearly left heartbroken. But the pull of her had made him stay just to be near her even though he had never intended to tell her who he was. She had laughed saying it looked like fate had taken the choice away from him. After that first day she understood what he meant by the pull of mates, she had actually cried when she had to leave to go home. They had spent everyday together for weeks until they had become lovers as well as friends. She had been surprised when even her mother hadn't had a problem with him spending the night with her at their house. Edith had told him as long as it didn't interfere with her daughters studies she liked having a strong man around who wasn't afraid to take out the trash. 

They had married in secret the day after her eighteenth birthday with only her mother there to congratulate the couple. By then Mary had already known she was carrying Leo's child, she had seen their son in a dream that she had never told him about. She had dreamed the three of them were swimming in an inlet riding the waves as Leo taught their son how to use his tail when suddenly the water had turned blood red and she couldn't see either of them. She was diving going deeper and deeper searching the water for her family only to see Leo with a spear stuck through not only his body but also their sons, that he had been holding in his arms. She had been terrified knowing that he had left his people to be with her and that they were looking for him. 

They had planned to leave, Leo said he had friends he thought would help them, but the day they planned to leave, her mother with  
them, she had went into early labor. She had been to afraid to go to a hospital not knowing if their son would be human or not so Leo and her mother had delivered Nick in the bathtub of a hotel room. A perfect little boy with ten fingers and ten perfect little toes but as they were leaving Leo spotted someone in the lobby. He told Edith to take her and Nicholas and go, to drive as far as they could until they ran out of gas while he lead his people away from them. That had been the last time she had ever seen her husband, a month later she had woken up screaming with her mother cradling Nick as he cried. It was like they had both felt Leo's death. To this day she still remembered the image she had seen of his tail being split in two as his back bone was torn from his body.

Wiping her eyes as she touched the last photo of Leo holding their newborn son. "Dear God please, if you can hear me, don't take Nicky from me. He's all I have left of Leo. Help him to understand, help me to make him understand." returning the book to it hiding spot before collapsing on the couch crying.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The next morning Serina opened her car door and looked at her favorite place to be on this planet. She loved this house, her brother had given the land to her as a birthday present the year she had moved onto land with him. The house itself wasn't anything extraordinary, just two stories in a Hispanic style, it was the pool that held the hidden gem. Thanks to a few well placed pieces of Antirian technology the cave that connected to the ocean was able to keep the pool forty feet above the water line filled with fresh sea water at all times and the cavern hidden behind the rock waterfall was bigger than an Olympic swimming pool and nearly forty feet deep. Over the years she had filled it with Antirian lights that mimicked the sun so what had been an empty cavern was now filled with a coral reef and plants that she was able to fill with sea life when she was here. She never forced the sea creatures to stay, they came of their own free will and were able to leave anytime they wanted. It had become a game for her to see which species would join her here on each visit. 

The front door opened for her as she got close and she smiled at the three people who were standing there when she pulled up. Mariana and her husband Neo had worked for her since the house was built along with their daughter Cleodora. Dora bowed as she stepped out of the car and made her way to the door. "Welcome home your Highness." the blonde winked her green eyes at Serina.

Laughing Serina hugged the girl who was only twenty years younger then herself. Dora’s long blonde hair was held back with a wide black headband and her dark brown eyes were currently sparkling with mischief. The younger girl had on a bikini top and a pair of floral shorts that showed off her figure perfectly. "Your Highness? What happened to Serina." Hugging Mariana then Neo who both bowed to her, "I have missed you all so much." Both Neo and his wife had been born in the 1700's, Neo looked around thirty with reddish brown hair and green eyes, he was also taller than she was at 6'3. His wife Mariana was slightly shorter and looked to be in her late twenties with short blonde hair and grey eyes. Neither one looked old enough to be Dora's parents. 

Neo went out and grabbed her bags from the backseat, on land she still liked to be the fastest thing around and driving a Bugatti was one of her vices. Knowing where a seventeenth century treasure ship had sunk was one perk her people had and it's treasure's paid off... a lot. 

Dora grabbed a bag from her father. "Well I figured some posturing couldn't hurt. You are after all our princess." giving her a sarcastic grin.

"Yeah but you can still kick my butt at cards." hugging the younger girl again before turning to her mother. "Mariana how are you doing?"

"Very well your Highness." No matter how hard she tried Dora was the only one to use her first name even though her parent's didn't approve. They held Serina in too high a respect, after all she had been the one to save all of their lives so many years ago. "We made your room up just as you like."

Turning to them quickly. "Did you fill the pools?"

"Of course not your Highness," Neo said with a laugh, as he came up behind her shutting the door. "We know how much you love calling them in."

Dora shrugged, "It's not like they'd listen to me anyway." 

That was why Dora and her parents worked for Serina, she had been the one to stop them from being executed by her father when Dora had been born. Some time in their past one of their ancestors, from his reddish hair it was probably Neo's, had been a Lander and sometimes if both parents had the blood a child born between them could have Lander DNA. Dora aged like them and could breath underwater but she didn't have a tail, her legs stayed legs whether in water or not. Normally a child like that would be terminated before birth, per the King's orders, but Dora had been born outside the palace. When her father had learned of her existence in 1955, nearly three years later, he had been furious. Serina had managed to talk him out of executing them clamming she could use them at her new house to run things when she wasn't there. Apparently she had caught her father in a good mood that day because he had agreed and gave them to her as servants to use as she saw fit. Mariana and Neo had been so grateful they had never questioned the exile and were only happy to see their daughter live.

"Well you all look wonderful. How has everything been, any trouble from the neighbors." heading for her office knowing Mariana would take care of her things before the end of the day.

"No your Highness, everything has been calm." Mariana told her as Neo and Cleodora took her bags to her suite. "You were gone so long this time we were beginning to worry."

Looking up from her desk Serina could see the other woman looked scared. "Mariana I'm sorry I should have called you." coming around to hug her again. "I got sent to act as an ambassador to Uncle Hirim."

Trying to smile, "I know your Highness, I saw the pictures you posted. The little one is beautiful." 

Taking her hand as she heard the wistfulness in her friends voice. "Mariana I wish..." her father had warned her that if any more children were born Serina would pay the price. Because of that Mariana and Neo had been careful not to conceive again, refusing to endanger her life. 

Covering the princesses hand with hers. "As do I, but I have my daughter and Neo, that's enough for me."

Not wanting to upset her Serina changed the subject. "That's why I'm here, I'm on a mission." 

"For your father?" Serina nodded and Mariana sighed. "And who's life is he out to destroy this time." 

"Mariana," stepping back. "What my father did to you was wrong. I am so sorry but like it or not he is our King." 

"Only because you refuse to take your rightful place your Highness. If you would just tell people who you are and what you can do..." following Serina as she left the office and headed to the study. 

"We've had this conversation before. You know my answer, I am too young to go against my father. Even if I believe he's wrong." seeing Mariana starting to protest. "One day when the timing is right I will stand up to him, until then we just need to lay low." Pouring herself a drink. She knew how they felt and she agreed that her father was going overboard, even she could see the change in him. Ever since she had joined her brother on land he had become obsessed with avoiding the Landers. He didn't even like talking about them even though a good third of their people lived and worked on land now, herself included. Swallowing the whole glass she turned to see Dora and her father returning. "Please I don't want to argue with you. Honestly I think I need your help."

Neo stepped forward, "Whatever you need your Highness. You know we would do anything for you."

Patting his arm before sitting down and waiting until they joined her. "You remember Leo Lionus."

"Even I remember him," Dora bounced in and sat down next to Serina. "I hid in my closet for a month after he was killed. I kept thinking I would be next."

"Dora you know I would never let that happen." Serina leaned over patting her knee. "To many people have been hurt or killed and it has to stop somewhere. Keri and Lorenzo made a report to Titus, they think they've found Lionus son."

Mariana raised her hand to her throat. "Oh dear god no."

"And your father sent you to find out if it's true." Knowing that was the only reason he would send her here. "And what then? Does he expect you to kill your friends child?" Neo asked her aggravated with the kings instructions.

"Of course he does." Mariana laughed a little hysterically. "All he wants are his perfect little people. If this is Lionus's child he's a half breed who could have abilities, that would defeat everything Titus has worked for." looking at Serina. "You can't kill him, you can't."

"I don't intend to." trying to calm her, she had decided last night that no matter who Nicholas was she had no intentions of killing him. Her father had said to do what she thought was best and she would. "That's why I need your advise. I told Keri to report back to his boss that Nicholas wasn't interested in joining the Olympic team and sent Lorenzo back to the palace to update the council. I need to figure out how to get Nicholas alone to talk to him."

Dora laughed. "He's what sixteen or seventeen?"

"Eighteen." looking at her friend.

"Serina if he's eighteen just go talk to him. I know you think he's a baby and you’re too old for him but you still look eighteen just like I do even though I'm over sixty." When Serina still looked confused she added, "Sex Serina!" Rolling her eyes, "Seriously I didn't think you were that old or are you sticking to Antirian tradition and not dating until you're a hundred. He's an eighteen year old boy that has spent his entire life on land, trust me the minute you flirt with him he'll follow you anywhere. You have to know you're the hottest thing this town has seen in a long time."

Serina laughed, leave it to Dora to find the simplest plan. Plus the shocked look on her parents faces was a bonus. They all knew that Dora preferred to date women, something that wasn't new to her people. Homosexuality had been accepted long before they had ever landed on Earth. To them it made little difference but to hear their daughter say that to the Princess was what shocked them. 

"You know I haven't dated, as you called it, since college." Even then it was more of a cultural exchange or science experiment rather than dating. 

"Well don't worry about it. What do you know about him? Does he work, is he still in school?" Dora asked.

Neo thought for a second. "If he's still in school you could enroll."

"I don't think so." Grinning at the older man. "College is one thing but I refuse to go back to high school. He still has a few months left until graduation from what I read but he does teach kids how to swim at the Aquatic Center. I guess I could start there."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Serina catches up with Nick in a surprising way and give him and his mom a history lesson. 
> 
> Nicks friends at school have a lot of questions when he shows up to school with Serina.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Mary get a history lesson after Nick gets over his shock.

Chapter 2

Two days later Serina was in a foul mood when she came home. She had spent the last two days sitting at the center looking for him only to be told today that he had called and quit Sunday afternoon. She had talked to the director and he said that was the first time in three years that Nick hadn't shown up for work. He told her that when he had talked to Nicholas he could tell that something was bothering the boy but he wouldn't say what it was. So she had reluctantly, with Neo's help, enrolled in Jordan High hoping to meet him there. The only good part was that she had bullied Dora to enroll with her. Serina told her if she had to suffer through teenage tantrums so did she and at least Dora could use the pool without sprouting a tail. The two 'sisters' enrolling so close to the end of the year had made them extremely popular from the start with everyone wanting to get to know them. 

Unfortunately Nick hadn't come to school either and when Serina asked one of the other members of the swim team about it he said they hadn't heard from Nick in days. She had managed to get his home address after a little flirting from Dora and one of the swim teams sisters, Lena. When he didn't show up again on Tuesday Serina had had enough. She may look like a teenager but she owned one of the largest Tech companies on the west coast and the biology teacher there was an idiot. Dora had just hung her head when Serina had gotten up in class and moved the teacher aside to fix the problem he was working on the board. She had gotten a one day suspension for that even though the principal had been impressed with her ability to do complex equations and promised to put her in an advanced class as soon as possible. After texting Dora, telling her she needed to find her own way home, she had taken the car, not the Bugatti one of Neo's, and headed for the address on Ocean Bluff drive. She had been surprised to learn they had a house on the beach because if he was Leo's son his mother should have known better to let him get this near the water without it calling to him. 

Serina sat across from the front door watching the house. She knew someone was home because she could see a shadow walking around through the living room window. Just as she got out of the car the door opened and the attractive young woman she had seen at the meet came out to get the mail. She looked younger then her thirty-six years, but if she was Leo's mate that would explain it. During the mating ritual they shared their life force which would have extended the humans life to match their mates. If Serina hadn't seen the photo of her that Keri had given her she would never have guessed she was old enough to have a son Nicholas's age. In fact when she had seen her at the swim meet she thought she had been a girlfriend of one of the swimmers. Even from across the street she could see the woman was nervous about something and decided now was the time to talk to her.

Mary was starting to get desperate, Nick hadn't left the house since the night of the meet. He had called and turned down his scholarship before she could stop him, quit his job and refused to go to school. She wished now that she hadn't told him anything, sure she expected him to be upset but yesterday he had taken every piece of sea life off his walls and thrown his microscope out his bedroom window. Luckily for him it landed in a bush and didn’t break, that damn thing had cost her a fortune. Every time she tried to talk to him he refused to talk about it. Going to his door again she knocked and nothing, it was still locked. "Honey I’m going to get the mail but when I get back this door better be unlocked and you better be ready to talk to me." in her no nonsense voice.

"Just leave me alone, mom." he yelled through the door.

Exasperated, "No! We are going to talk about this so get ready." going downstairs. Honestly she was surprised by his reaction to the truth. Anger at her she had expected, curiosity maybe, but to just give up everything he had worked so hard for was not like her son. He had always fought for what he wanted his whole life and this wasn't like him. Mary waved at her neighbor but she was so deep in thought that she didn't see the young woman standing next to her until she turned from the mail box and almost ran into her. "Oh dear lord." clutching the mailbox to keep from landing on her butt. 

Serina smiled and reached out to steady her. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. You're Mary Ruthers aren't you." 

"Yes I am," standing up straight again, "and you are?" though she did look familiar.

"I'm Serina, I saw you at the swim meet last Saturday."

"Of course," remembering the girl with the Olympic committee. "You were with Mr Kerrigan weren't you?" moving around her towards the house. The hair on the back of Mary's neck started to tingle. "I'm sorry but if you're looking for Nick he just left for work."

"That's alright Mrs Ruthers I'd like to speak to you for a minute if you don't mind." Subtlety was never Serina's strong suit, she much preferred the direct approach. She reached out and grabbed Mary's arm to stop her from walking to the house. "Or should I call you Mrs Lionus? You are Leo's wife are you not?" Any doubt she had that Nick was Leo's son flew out the window as Mary turned two shades paler and to Serina’s surprise Mary pulled free and pushed her so hard she fell on her butt. All Serina could do was watch as Mary dropped the mail and ran to the house, as soon as she was inside she started yelling for Nick. Serina got up, dusted her pants off, grabbed the mail and walked to the door. Unlike most of her kind Serina was extra talented. Telekinesis was one of her gifts and it was simple to open the locked door.

Nick heard his mother yelling but thought it was just her trying to talk to him. It wasn't until he heard a second voice in the house that he knew something was wrong and rushed out to the landing. He stopped to stare at the scene below him. His mother, the tiny blonde woman who shewed spiders out doors and windows, had a gun pointed at a beautiful young woman who was just standing there very calmly with her hands in the air.

"Mary there's no need for a weapon, I'm not here to hurt you. Use your head, why would I come up to you with two neighbors outside who could identify me if I was going to hurt you." the gun didn't bother someone who could stop a bullet mid flight but it was still annoying.

"You stay away from my son. I'm not going to let you hurt him. I'll shoot if I have to. Just leave, you don't need to tell anyone you saw us." terrified even her voice shook. She had known there was something familiar about that recruiter and was kicking herself for not taking Nick and running right then.

"Mom!" yelling as he ran down the stairs.

"Nicky run, please just go." looking between the woman and he son.

Getting a good look at the boy for the first time Serina had to smile. Except for the hair color he looked a lot like Leo. Not worried about the gun she turned to him. "Hello Nicholas. It's so nice to finally meet you."

Mary came around the couch as the other woman stepped towards Nick. "No!" moving in front of Nick. "You can't please. He's all I have, please." her hand shaking as she kept the handgun pointed at her.

"Mom what are you doing? She doesn't have a weapon, god what are you thinking?" Trying to take the gun away from her. Where she had gotten the thing he had no idea.

Serina watched the two of them knowing that if they weren't careful someone was going to get shot. She held out her hand and the gun was ripped from Mary and floated to her. "You do know that these can be dangerous don't you?" as she unloaded the clip and chamber before handing it back to Mary. "Maybe now you'll stop panicking long enough to talk to me."

Nick just stood there not believing what he had just seen. He had been at the point where he was willing to pretend he believed his mothers crazy stories but now. "How did you... What?... Who are you?" when she turned to him this time he had the chance to look at her and swore he stopped breathing. This was the same woman he had been dreaming about for months. The one in everyone of his drawings, only real.

"Can we please sit down. I've had a rather exhausting few days trying to find you. And no Mary it was not to hurt him." Looking at Mary.

"Who are you?" repeating her sons question. "What do you want?"

Serina smiled as the two of them sat down on the sofa so she took the chair next to them. "My name is Serina." not wanting to give her last name in case Mary could connected it to the King. "Believe it or not I'm here to help you."

"Don't listen to her Nick! She's one of them." praying she found a way out of this.

"Mom, please just chill out." Turning to Serina, he knew every inch of her face and a few other areas he was embarrassed to even think about. "Why is my mom completely freaking out?"

Serina couldn't help but smile at him, "So like your father, always straight to the point." Damn if he didn't remind her of Leo. She was glad now that Kerrigan had never gotten the chance to talk to Nicholas or he would have had no doubt who his father was.

Swallowing hard Nick looked at her, "You... you know my father."

"I knew your father very well Nicholas. We were friends for many years, even though he was older then me." Grinning at the thought. Considering the fact that Leo had been nearly two hundred when he died and she had known him since she was an infant she wasn't lying.

"Nick stop talking!" Mary yelled trying to push him off the couch. "You need to get out of here. I'll hold her off while you run." Dear god why wouldn't he listen to her.

Serina turned to her, "Mary please. I swear I'm not here to hurt you or your son. In fact not doing that may get me killed. It's not just your lives I'm worried about here." rubbing her neck.

Mary took a deep breath, "So what you're saying is that you were sent to kill us but now your not?" trying to decide if she could get to the front door before this woman could stop her.

"In layman's terms... yes." shrugging. Knowing that honesty was the only thing that was going to work with them. She was sure Mary knew to many things about their people thanks to Leo.

"Wait a minute you're serious. You're here to kill me." Nick said jumping up ready to run like his mother had said.

Serina smiled at him, he wasn't exactly how she had pictured him. With his swimming skills she had expected someone cocky like his father instead at the moment all she felt was fear. It actually made her feel bad for scaring them. "Yes I was sent to kill you but if you notice, I'm not. So please sit down so we can figure out what to do next." looking at his mother. "So does Nicholas know the truth or not?"

The sarcastic way she said that to his mother was what snapped him out of the shock of all this. "If you're talking about the fact that my father was half fish then yes." His mother actually laughed at that albeit a little hysterically.

Serina was trying very hard not to laugh herself as he stood there with his head cocked just like his father. "Nicholas please, half fish? Your father was an Antirian just as I am." smiling. "Yes at times we have tails but that's not all we are. How long have known?"

"I just told him a few days ago." Mary told her hanging her head.

Rolling her eyes Serina sighed. "Well that explains your lack of communication with your friends and work. Hiding from the truth won't help you." looking at him

"I'm not hiding?" trying to put this all together. Looking at his mom trying to decide if he still needed to get the he'll out of there.

"Yes you are honey." his mom said getting up to take hold of his arms. "You haven't said two words to me outside of your room in days." taking the chance she turned to Serina, "Are you really here to help us?"

Sitting back in the chair. "I certainly hope so. All I can promise you now is that I won't fail you the way I failed Leo."

"What do you mean you failed my father? What happened to him?" by God he was tired of all the secrecy, he wanted... no he needed to hear the truth.

"Honey maybe now isn't..." Mary started to say

Nick stepped away from her moving so he could look at both women. "No mom! My whole life I thought he had just left us. I didn't believe you mom, I thought you were nuts. So I need to know the truth before I have myself or you committed."

Serina looked at Mary who just nodded. She stood up and turned to look at Nicholas. "I let him down when he needed me the most. I knew Leo my entire life and I knew what a good man he was. He was my friend and teacher. In fact he was the first to teach me about the Landers."

"Landers?" Nick asked.

Mary shook her head. "Nicky doesn't know everything. Hell I don't know everything. Leo was so afraid to tell me more then he thought I should know. I only know the basics."

Oh lord thanks a lot Leo, she thought to herself. "Okay," taking her jacket off and sitting down again. "Lander's Nicholas, is how Antirians refer to the people who live on land. Simplistic I know, but our ancestors were scientists and soldiers. They weren't big on comedy, it wasn't until one of our people in Greece met Sophocles in 467 BC that we started teaching our children literature. Sorry," seeing them stare at her. "You know this is going to take awhile so you might as well sit down." waiting until they did before continuing. "Our people have always been scientists and we lived in peace for a millennia on Antaris. It was our home, the whole planet was ours, land and sea." Thank you aunt Astra for the history lessons. "One day our scientists discovered a fracture in the planets core, it was very small at first but it started growing. We tried to stabilize it for thousands of years, generation after generation until we had to admit we couldn't stop it. So instead we starting building ships..."

"Spaceships you mean." Nick wanting to know.

"Yes," he reminded her of a gold fish the way he was staring at her. "Three massive spaceships were built. Each one capable of holding nearly a million people each. Antaris was small planet, at the peak I think there was only 2 and a half million of us so when it came time for   
us to leave there was more then enough room for all of us, with room to grow." Turning sad as she pictured the murals on the walls of the palace, "Unfortunately when the time came we were still surprised. Giant quakes struck without warning, mountains we had climbed for centuries disintegrated before our eyes and the seas started to boil. People ran to the ships and nearly everyone made it. Sadly as they were taking off a fissure opened, swallowing one of the ships so only two of them escaped. They couldn't do anything but watch as our home imploded." choking up a little. "I'm sorry but do you have something to drink?" looking at Mary.

"Umm, yes water or tea?" standing up not sure if it was safe to leave Nick alone with her.

"Scotch if you got it." Seeing Mary's look of surprise she assumed Leo had mentioned the alcohol problem. "Tea would fine, sweet if you have it but anything will do."

"So only two of your ships survived?" Nick asked as his Mom went to the kitchen.

"Two of them got off Antaris yes but we all lost family and friends. We may be aliens to earth but we are people." Taking a glass Mary handed her. "Thank you." Sniffing it.

Seeing her do that Mary relaxed and laughed. "Don’t worry I didn't poison it. I don't know why but there's something about you that I just trust." Shrugging as Nick looked at her. He probably thought she was bi-polar or something by now.

"Thank you for that at least. This is very good, black tea?" Mary nodded. "That was Leo favorite." smiling at the memory of him teaching her how the stove in her first apartment worked so she could make her own.

"I know." Mary said fighting back tears. "It's Nicks too."

Finishing the glass she sat it down on the coffee table. "Two ships left Antaris and they traveled together for six hundred years before tragedy struck again. They got caught in a solar flare that separated the two ships, the equipment was fried and by the time it was fixed they had lost all contact with the other ship. We don't know what happened to them, although we pray they found a home just like we did. God willing maybe one day we'll find a way to learn their fate."

"God willing? You believe in god?" Again Nick wasn't sure what to believe.

"It's a figure of speech Nicholas, but yes most of our people believe in a deity that created all of us. God, Buda, Allah or Trajio as we used to call him. We've been here so long that we've adopted the term God. Now do you want me to continue or would you rather question my faith."

"Sorry if I'm annoying you but this is kinda freaking me out a little." a little snarky. "Until a few days ago I thought I was human." Crossing his arms and sitting back.

Serina chuckled at his disgruntled look, "I suppose I could be a little more sympathetic. I'm sorry." Nick nodded "Anyway it took nearly another fifteen hundred years until we found Earth around 40,000 BC give or take a century or two." She joked but they didn't laugh. "Anyway we thought it was a paradise, nearly ten times the size of Antaris with oceans that were so clean and beautiful, so full of life. We landed on a peninsula near what is called Greece today and settled there. We studied the planet for years making sure that the same flaw that destroyed our home wasn't here and it wasn't. Antaris had a solid core where the land masses couldn't shift. Believe it or not earthquakes are what keep this planet from exploding the way Antaris did. Once we realized that the planet was stable we took apart the ship and used it to build our main city. It took nearly a thousand years to tear down and rebuild half on land and half in the sea, by then we found out we weren't alone on the planet. That had never happened before, we had always assumed we were the only ones in the universe." Laughing at the irony. "It was the upper paleolithic era, Neanderthals were just about extinct and saber-tooth cats were still running around, our ancestor even went on hunts for mammoths. We have ivory carvings in the throne room at the palace that are as big as I am. Humans were starting to progress but compared to us to us they were barely out of caves. We didn't want to upset the balance so we chose to keep ourselves separate from them. That worked for thousands of years but though we wanted to stay separate, the Landers had other ideas. They saw us as gods and they worshiped us and eventually some of our people started to like that. We had technology that we use to help heal some of them or to distill water in times of drought. Let's just say we interfered too much and they started wanting more and more from us. Villages started sending their daughters over the mountains alone to test their worthiness to be mates for the gods and yes we did find out that we were compatible. Ten thousand years after we landed we had spread out to other continents but our King Poseidon..."

Nick couldn't stop himself from asking, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait a sec, time out. Poseidon? He was real?" 

"He was our King, the last of the Water Masters. Don't ask please." That wasn't something she wanted to go into but she did smile. "There were so few of us and many were related so when our doctors realized we could produce children with the Landers we did mate and our numbers increased dramatically. But after one young girl, barely ten years old collapsed and died in the courtyard Poseidon decided that enough was enough. He was tired of watching innocents die because the Landers we too, and please forgive the term, too stupid to realize that we weren't gods. He pulled all of our people back to the palace even those with human mates and made them bring any children with them. He chose to bring down the mountain causing the land to separate and our city to sink into the sea." looking at Nick "Care to guess what myth that started?" she asked with a smirk.

Wide eyed he answered, " Atlantis?"

"The very same." Smiling she nodded, "Over the years we kept tabs on the Landers. We insinuated ourselves where we could. We were so proud at how well they were progressing but what worried us was how eager they were to use violence to settle their differences. Wars were all over the planet and when we tried to intervene they wouldn't listen. Plus after a few generations we learned that sometimes the human DNA would cause side effects in the half-breeds."

"Half-breeds like me?" he asked.

Serina looked directly at Nick. He looked so lost and scared she knew no matter what happened she had made the right decision not to take his life. "Yes like you. It wasn't anything bad, it wasn't like the sci-fi movies, no one turned into the creature from the black lagoon." Mary breathed a sigh of relief hearing that. "Some children couldn't breath underwater, a few couldn't breath air and had to live completely in the sea. Some weren't able to change from legs to tails and some from tails to legs. Since I just met you I don't know what you're capable of yet Nicholas. All I know is that you are a fantastic swimmer."

Mary sat up. "What I don't understand is why if half-breeds," looking apologetically at her son. "weren't a problem then why is everyone out to hurt us now."

Now they were getting into a touchy area. "Our current King, Titus," not ready to let them know he was her father. "He's ruled since the 1600's"

Nick jump up, "What!"

"Sit down Nicky, I swear you’re going to give yourself a stroke." His mother pulled him back down.

"I take it you don't know the life span of an Antirian. The oldest recorded was my six times great grandmother, she lived to be 2002 years old." Both Mary and Nick looked at her at that news. "Leo didn't tell you?"

Mary sputtered for a second. “No Leo never said anything like that. Oh god," wringing her hands, "Please tell me he wasn't a thousand years old."

"No," laughing at the look of horror on her face. Leave it to Leo not to tell her the most important difference between the races. "I promise Leo wasn't anywhere near that old."

"Then how old was he?" Asking what his mother didn't.

For some reason she couldn't stop herself from answering his question. "Oh hell, Leo was a hundred and eighty-seven when he went to work at the Aquarium." Mary sucked in a breath but didn't say anything. "How old do you think I am?" Serina asked.

Nick looked at her. "I don't know I'd say between seventeen and twenty."

Grinning she patted his knee, "You're sweet but I'll be eighty-five on my next birthday."

"Eighty-five!" Mary sputtered. "and Leo was a hundred and eighty-seven years old? Why didn't he tell me?"

Serina had to stop herself from laughing at their shocked looks, "I'm sure it was to protect you, Mary. I know how much he loved you. He told me about you, not your name or anything, he wanted to keep you safe to. Keri and I used to kid him..."

"Keri? You know Keri?" Mary said up hearing his name. "Leo said he was going to help us get away. We were suppose to meet him but I went into labor early." surprised she knew him since Leo had said Keri was way up in the royal house.

"Keri is my best friend. He's also your uncle Nicholas." watching the boy for his reactions.

"What?" echoed as both mother and son looked at her.

"I guess Leo really didn't tell you anything but the basics." She almost wished he was still alive so she could beat him for being so stupid. "Look I don't know why Leo didn't tell you these things, to protect you would be my only guess. If someone had found you he probably wanted to give you plausible deniability."

"That sound like Leo. He was constantly telling me how dangerous it was to be with him." Mary smiled thinking back. It had been a long time since she had thought so much about Leo and she was surprised that it didn't hurt as much anymore.

Nick had to laugh, this whole situation was totally absurd "Yeah and telling the seventeen year old girl you're dating that you're a hundred and eighty-seven would probably have been a mood killer."

Mary slapped at his arm. "Honey I showed you a picture of your father, believe me I wouldn't have cared." surprised to hear Serina laugh at that too. She looked at her only to see her wink and felt a bond form with the other woman.

"The truth is a dangerous thing for all of us. In the wrong hands it could mean the end of the world as we know it, to quote R.E.M. Anyway as you can imagine we are very careful to keep our existence a secret. King Titus is... has become extremely paranoid in the last few hundred years or so. It started during the witch hunts in the 1600's we lost several of our children, the half breeds that couldn't survive in the water, during that time. They had a lot of the same abilities we have which at the time equaled witchcraft to everyone."

"Abilities. What abilities?" That got Nick's attention.

"Think of it like superman without the flying." When Mary laughed as she went on. "Nicholas we're telepathic to an extent, we have to be looking at someone. Like this." Nick never saw her lips move but he heard her the same as if she had. "We also can emit a low frequency electricity like an electric eel and telekinesis like how I took the gun from your mother"

"That is so freaking cool!" seeing his mothers look. "What? It is?"

"It definitely helps if a shark or killer whale is around. Of course some of us have different talents, we're the same as Landers everyone is different. Your father of course had a knack for playing with sharks." smiling at them, "The little buggers loved him, he was all the time scaring the kids with them. I remember when I was about ten years old, we were visiting my Uncle Hirim, he lives in the Western..." Damn she thought Keri was right she had been away too long. "In the Indian Ocean and your father thought it would be funny to convince three white tips to circle the entryway. We were stuck inside for hours until they got tired and swam away." Wiping her face she realized she was crying. "I'm sorry I just... I miss him so much at times.” Reaching out she covered Mary’s hand with hers. “I promise I'm not going to let anyone hurt you or your son.” Looking at Nick, “but you are going to have to learn our ways Nicholas. Plus I'm going to have to know what you can do."

"I can't believe you knew my dad. I have so many questions." He told her.

"And I promise to answer everything I can.” Leaning back she sighed. “I should have stopped his death but I didn't, I was too afraid of our King to stand up for him. For some reason Titus wants to limit contact with Landers but that's impossible now. We own to many business and control too much of what happens in the world. No matter what he wants things are changing, Landers are getting to point where they can get to our cities. Our existence won't be a secret much longer and I wish I could convince them of that but they're scared. Most of us don't think the world is ready to learn they aren't alone." sighing, "I think they are but revealing ourselves should be handled very carefully."

Nick understood how they felt. "I have to agree with your King then if how I reacted was any indication. I thought I was going to have to have my mom locked up for her own safety." turning to look at his mom.

"Thanks a lot Honey. But you know it's a little different when you learn you're part of that world to. I'm so sorry I should have told you years ago but," brushing his hair back. "I wanted you to have a regular life for as long as you could."

"It's okay mom." and he was surprised that he meant it. "I guess if you had told me I would have been totally neurotic worrying about people finding out." Looking at Serina he couldn't help the way he responded to her. In the last few months his dreams had taken on more of a sexual nature centered around a woman who looked exactly like her. "So what do I have to do now. I don't even know what I am really."

"You're still you Nicholas, just with a few more skills." smiling she crossed her legs and sat back. "Why don't you tell me about yourself, like what made you tell Nicholas now Mary."

"The meet last Saturday," Nick told her before him mom could. "After the last race something happened to me."

"When you collapsed," he looked at her surprised she knew that. "I was there. I'm afraid the Olympic council has a few of us on it, you were so good that you drew their attention. Since the only child born that we didn't know of was Leo's I'm afraid they jumped to conclusions." Serina told them.

Mary sat up fast, "If they suspect us are we in danger from them."

"No," looking at them. "I sent them back to their posts. Lorenzo went back to the palace and," not sure how Mary was going to take the news. "Keri went back to the Olympic coach to let them know Nicholas wasn't interested."

"Keri," remembering the man who had introduced himself to her at the meet. "Mr. Kerrigan that's who... oh my god that was Keri." Now that she knew who he was she realized why he had looked familiar. He looked a lot like Leo. "You said he's Nicky’s Uncle."

"Keri is Leo's older brother, same father different mothers. Keri's mother died shortly after his birth and their father waited nearly a hundred years before meeting his true mate, Leo's mother."

"I can't believe I didn't even know it was him, Leo talked about him all the time. I just didn't know that they were brothers." wondering what else Leo hadn't told her. "He must think I'm an idiot."

"He didn't know for sure that you were Leo's wife. That's why I wanted to meet with you alone. I sent them away before they knew for sure and I'd like to keep it that way for now. There's so much you need to learn Nicholas and it's going to take time but you can't keep hiding here. You have school and since I couldn't find you anywhere else." Groaning she admitted. "I enrolled in your high school to find you. Now I'm stuck playing a teenager until the end of the year, thank god it's only a few months."

"You enrolled in my high school, can you do that." he asked why that shocked him he didn't know but it did.

Smiling she looked at him. "You'd be surprised what I can do. I may look eighteen but remember I'm not. Have you ever heard if Delphin Science and Technologies?"

"Of course I have. Mom works for part of that group." he told her shrugging.

Serina was surprised and turned to look at Mary. "You work for them?"

"Not really," shrugging, "it's a subsidiary of a subsidiary of their group. The supplies and most of the equipment we use at the lab are theirs though. Why?" As Serina started laughing.

"Oh lord, I guess I should tell you since I'm sure you'll find out eventually. You know the current VP is Neo Curaghia, he's the face of DST. Well Neo works for me, I happened to be S.C. Muirgen, I own Delphin Science and Technologies. As well as a few other companies around the world." She felt like laughing at the shocked look on there faces. Instead she stood up and grabbed he coat. "I'm hungry would you like to join me for dinner. I promise not to fish out at the restaurant."

It didn't take much to convince them to join her and they drove to a small family restaurant not far from their house. Nick saw several of his friends who were surprised to see him with the new girl in school and asked Serina where her sister was. After they left she explained that Neo's daughter was also enrolled to help find out the truth. Mary was worried about so many people knowing about Nicholas but when she explained that Neo and his family were as much outsiders as Nick she relaxed. Nick was actually relived to think that someone like him would be there to help him figure things out. Before leaving them to think about things Serina gave them her cell phone numbers and her address telling Mary if she even suspected something wasn't right she was to grab Nicholas and go there. Then told Nicholas that she would talk to him tomorrow in school. Nick had to smile at the way she rolled her eyes complaining about the education of the so called teachers before leaving them. Serina hoped she was doing the right thing and that they didn't run, she really didn't feel like chasing them. 

When she got home Dora was waiting for her and threw a pillow at her before the door even shut. That's what she loved about the younger girl no matter what happened she was always able to make lemonade out of lemons. She told Dora and her parents that she had finally tracked the boy down and he was definitely Leo Lionus's son and he knew absolutely nothing of their world. She asked Dora to keep going with her to keep an eye on Nicholas at the school. Dora had smiled saying that she didn't mind at all, she liked several of the kids there, especially Lena. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Nick was up most of the night thinking about everything he had learned the day before. He couldn't pretend his mother was crazy anymore, as much as it scared him he had to admit he wasn't human or at least half of him wasn't. After a quick shower he headed downstairs to see his Mom already up making breakfast. At least he knew he wasn't going to start craving raw fish, cringing at the memory of Serina’s laughter when he had asked her that at dinner. She told him that at times raw fish would do but she much preferred a good steak or a good steamed lobster dripping with melted garlic butter.

"Honey you're up, I thought you'd sleep a little longer." coming over to hug him. "Are you okay?" looking him in the eyes thankful he had at least left his room.

"We seriously need to talk about your idea of okay but I'm fine mom. I think talking to Serina last night helped." sitting down to a plate full of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon.

"I'm glad honey. Nicky please know I never meant to keep this from you.." he hated seeing her scared, she looked so young standing there in a pair a shorts and an over large t-shirt she liked to sleep in. The thing was old and ratty looking and she had never admitted it but he thought it might have belonged to his dad at one time.

"It's okay mom, the last few days of wondering if the men in black were going to show up and drag me away made me realize what you've been living with my whole life. That you must really love me to be willing to protect me like that."

Hugging him while he was sitting down. "Oh baby I do love you, so, so much. There hasn't been one day that I haven't thanked god I had you. Yes I was afraid that someone was going to show up one day and try and take you away but," brushing his hair out of his face, just like his father he liked to keep it long. "I wouldn't trade a second with you for anything. I am so proud of you and what you've accomplished Nicky and I hate that you have to give up your dreams of college..."

For the first time Nick smiled. "Are you kidding mom? I wanted to study marine chemistry because that was as close to the ocean as I thought I could get. If all of this is true then maybe now I can actually see the things I want to see for myself. If that means I have to have a tail then... this is like a dream come true for me. You have no idea how much I've dreamed about swimming in the ocean. Of diving so deep that I couldn't see the surface... I thought I was going crazy and I was almost ready to commit myself."

Mary wasn't sure she was ready to just let him go diving anywhere but if that was what he needed to accept this part of him then she wasn't going to fight it anymore. "You know you have to be careful, you can't tell anyone about this, not even your friends."

"I know mom, don't worry I'm not going to talk about this with anyone but Serina and what's her name. The other girl like me." trying to finish his breakfast before it got cold.

"Dora I think is what she said her name was." glad to see him realize how dangerous this knowledge was. "Just promise me you'll be careful." squeezing his shoulder.

"I will mom, trust me the last thing I need is for people to find out I'm some kind of freak." getting up to put his plate in the dishwasher.

"You're not a freak, you're just... unique." Taking his hand. "I know you need to learn who you are but just remember that no matter what happens you will always be my son." kissing his forehead before heading upstairs to get dressed for work. 

An hour later as Nick stepped off the bus he was surprised to see Serina and another girl with slightly lighter blonde hair waiting beside a very expensive car that had half the male population in the school, teachers included, gathering around just to look at it. For some reason his heart skipped a beat when she looked up, saw him and smiled. As soon as his friends saw him they rushed over to find out why he had missed two days of school without telling anyone. He just said he had family visiting and his mom said he deserved a reward for winning the meet. 

"I'm glad you came Nicholas." Serina said as she made her way through his friends. "Dora's waiting for us." Taking his arm and pulling him towards the woman she had been standing with completely ignoring the looks from the other kids standing around. "Dora this is Nicholas the one I was telling you about." connecting with Dora telepathically.

The girl studied him for a minute before reaching out to shake hands then leaded in close to whisper, "It's nice to meet you Nicholas. Serina tells me we have a lot in common." Winking at him.

"So it seems," a little nervous to be talking about this in the middle of the school parking lot. "Serina said you might be able to help me with my studies and please call me Nick, not even my mom calls me Nicholas."

Dora laughed, it was strange for her to meet him too, besides her parents and Serina she had never meet any of their kind before. Whenever Serina had them at the house her mother would take her to Disneyland or someplace to keep her safe. "Alright Nick it is." Smiling he looked so nervous she didn't have the heart to tease him. "I think you and I are going to get along just fine and I'd be happy to help you study although we may not be on the same level."

"Oh think you'll both be fine," taking Nick's arm again, "I don't suppose you know how to get everyone to stop staring at my car do you." Serina asked him.

Nick laughed. "That's not a car, that's a rocket on wheels. If you didn't want people staring, you should not have driven it to a school." 

Dora burst out laughing, she had said the same thing to Serina before they had even left the house. One thing she knew about her friend was that Serina liked her vices and cars were one of them. "Oh god Nick, you and I are going to get along so great." taking his other arm as they walked into the school. Nearly every person they passed stopped to look at them as they went by. There was just something about Nick that had always drawn people to him but now they sensed the same thing about the new girls. 

"So Nick how do you know these lovely creatures." his friend Benny asked as Nick stopped at his locker.

"Oh come now," said Serina. "Shouldn't you be asking how we know Nicholas."

"Nick sis, remember he likes to be called Nick." Dora joked.

Serina turned to her. "Nick is someone who climbs down a chimney. Nicholas is someone to respect." seeing the looks on everyone’s faces. "But I'll try to remember what you like." rolling her eyes. "So Nicho... Nick introduces us to your friends."

Losing his voice for a second Nick then turning to see a half dozen of his friends standing around, four of them from the swim team alone. "Ah yeah sure," grabbing a book and shutting the locker door. "Serina, Dora, these are my friends Benny," pointing to the boy on their left that has asked about them, he was a rather thin boy with curly red hair.

"We have study hall together." He told Serina.

"And this is Scott, he's the captain of the swim team," nodding to the blonde on Dora's right.

He reached out to shake hands saying, "Only because Nick here didn't want to do it. Welcome to Jordan High." he had been trying to talk to the two new girls for days and was a little jealous Nick knew them already.

Serina took his hand. "Thank you, it was a last minute decision by dad. Dora and I have been home schooled most of the time."

"Really?" asked a short black haired girl on Nick's left. "My dad had to do that for me when I broke my leg in ninth grade. So much for being a cheerleader."

Dora smiled at the girl. "Oh yeah our studies were murder." Making Nick choke.

"You okay buddy?" Scott asked him.

Nick took a deep breath. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, look this is Shelly" looking at the black haired girl. Turning he pointed to an African American boy. "Todd, and that's Dallas, she's Scott's girlfriend." the last brunette girl who looked like she had just stepped off a modeling set in a cheer leading outfit.

"So where did you get that car of yours." Benny asked.

Serina stepped closer to Nick and took his arm. "Milan." walking off with everyone staring.

"You know you could try to be a little nicer to everyone." he told her after turning to the others and mouthing 'Sorry' to them.

"Nicho... Nick I don't plan on being here any longer then necessary. I don't need to get attached to anyone." trying to explain.

Dora came up behind them. "Don't forget how old she really is, so you shouldn't be surprised if she acts like a grandma at times. Now me on the other hand," moving in front of them. "I'm only sixty so I still remember being young and care free." taking off as Serina reached for her glaring. "See ya at lunch Sis, save me a seat if you can." taking off down the hall leaving the two of them standing together.

"Sorry about her, she still acts like a kid at times." apologizing for her friend.

"While you act like a old fart." looking at the mermaid walking next to him.

Serina stepped back, slightly offended. "Excuse me?!"

Nick stared at her, "Look I get it, this isn't exactly your thing. But you got to loosen up or you'll draw more attention to yourself." trying to relax around her. Honestly even at eighteen he had never had the same reactions to girls his friends had. He had started to think that maybe he was gay, at least until she showed up. Now every time she looked at him he felt like blushing and considering last nights dream he had a lot to blush about. "When was the last time you interacted with people."

"I visit the corporate headquarters twice a year and we have meetings every month when I'm in town." crossing her arms.

"Like that, no teenager can give that look." laughing at her look, somewhere between outrage and superiority. "What I mean is when were you around people my age?"

"Oh," putting her arms down as they continued to walk down the hall seeing people look at them. "I started college in '55 then again in '70 and again twice in the 80s, at different school of course, and I got another Masters degree in engineering around 2000 or was it 2005." thinking back.

"Of course." grinning at her. It amazed him she could rattle of dates like 1955 without blinking.

"I took computer courses as soon as they were available and of course I helped fund part of Bill's little science experiment."

"Bill?" He was almost afraid to ask.

"Bill Gates, he invented.."

Interrupting her. "I know who Bill Gates is.." looking around to see if anyone heard them. "Is that where you got your money? "

"My money yes, but for the rest of us no not really," looking at him to see he was confused. "Money's never really a problem when you know where a lot of gold can be found and of course being able to investigate ship wrecks can be very lucrative. Why do you think the treasure's are never found on the shipwrecks. We just got to them first." grinning at him.

Nick had never thought about that but yeah that could be considered a perk. He was surprised to see Serina was in four of his classes that day and that Dora was in three of those too. He figured they were there to keep an eye on him to make sure he didn't tell anyone but he didn't mind. At lunch they managed to sit by themselves and every time someone looked like they were coming over they either by passed the table or turned around. When he commented on that Dora had told him Serina was using her gifts to keep them away. He wondered if he could that too and when Serina explained how it was done he was surprised to see Benny stop suddenly like he had forgotten something which was what Nick was telling him to do but then he shook his head and came over to them only to mumble hello and walk on by.

"Did you do that?" He asked Serina.

"In the end yes but he was responding to you. So I'd say mental telepathy is definitely one of your skills." she told him.

"I thought you said all of your people were telepathic."

Dora answered that on. "Only underwater. Being able to do that on land with humans is a bit trickier. I know I can't do it as well as Serina can but then again she can do a lot of stuff no one else can do either." winking at the other girl and getting slapped lightly on her arm.

"I've just had a lot of time to practice." Giving Dora a well known 'let it go' look.

Looking around the cafeteria at his friends wondering what they would say if they ever found out what he was. "This is really, really weird for me. I just want thank you guys for helping out. Of course I could be totally insane and you're just beautiful figments of my imagination."

Dora laughed and several kids turned to look at her. One of her abilities was as a caller, what sailors used to call a siren. Her voice took on a musical tone that attracted people to her wanting to hear the sounds again. Serina and Neo had found that very useful when contracts weren't going the way they wanted them to. "Trust me you're completely sane. It just that the rest of the world that has gotten a little crazy." Taking a bite of pizza. "You know this is strange for me to Nick. Besides Serina and my parents I've had to keep away from others like us or I could have been killed."

Serina had told him that Dora was one of the half-blood children but not that she had the same death sentence he did. "Why? I mean why do you have to live like that."

Dora looked at Serina, on the drive this morning Serina had told her that she didn't want Nick or his mom to know she was the Kings daughter but that it was okay to tell him everything else. Dora just had to chose her words very carefully. "It's hard to explain, I have a genetic anomaly that doesn't let me change," looking around. "I have legs all the time and per the Kings order any child with that anomaly is suppose to be aborted before birth." here she was sixty-three years old and it still hurt to be considered a freak by her own people.

"Holy Shit, what kind of bastard would make that a law." sitting back. The more he learned of their so called King the worse he sounded. "You're talking about a child not some..."

"Freak of nature." Dora finished for him. "Unfortunately that's exactly what I am to him. Not the perfect Antirian that he wants." shrugging.

"I think we're better off telling Nick about the good things that come with this blood." Not that she didn't agree with them. For years now she had tried to reason with her father but besides the computer technology he didn't want to talk about any of the advances of the Landers. Serina hated to think that if things didn't calm down soon she was going to have to intervene in a way that her father would never expect. "You know like being able to breath underwater, that's a hell of perk."

"And you can do that too?" Nick looked at Dora who nodded. "Even without the..." making a flipper motion with his hand under the table. 

Dora smiled, "Oh yeah, I love diving the coral reef off the point at the house. Although I can't call the fish the way my folks or Serina can."

"What does that mean? To call the fish?" that sounded like something he'd love to try himself.

"It's like I told you about your dad and the sharks. We all can communicate with the smaller animals. Fish, turtles, even dolphins with no problems. I had a pet dolphin for years until the twerp followed a female to the Bahamas." Serina told him. "It's the larger predators that require a more talented hand." stopping when another student headed towards them. "You see this is way I dislike teenagers they're more inquisitive then a killer whale."

Nick looked up to see two of the swim team members heading to him. He saw Serina tense up and for the first time he sensed what felt like a static charge coming off her and touched her arm. "It's okay they're my friends. Hey guys, sorry I didn't call."

"Dude what happened to you," Josh asked as he sat down between Nick and Dora. "You're Dora right?" turning to her.

"That's right, and just for the pure hell of it who are you?" she said sweetly leaning back.

Josh laughed. " I'm Josh Jeffries, I think you know my sister Lena." 

"Oh yeah," recognizing him from Lena's cell phone pictures. "Sorry I didn't recognize you, you know what they always say, the camera does add ten pounds." 

His friend cupped his mouth, "Oohh damn. Burned at the starting line."

Serina had to smile, this was another reason why she loved Dora, her innate talent to annoy people. "And snarky thy name is Dora. Sorry I should apologize for my sister but there's no stopping her sometimes." Laughing when Dora stuck out her tongue.

"Trust me J-man can take it." sitting down next to Josh and Nick. "I'm Mako second fastest swimmer in the school." reaching out the boy with Hispanic roots shook Serina's hand then Dora's. "But the best looking. So how do you lovely ladies know our local celebrity?" he had been trying to get their attention for days now and had been shocked to see them with Nick.

"Well as it happens you could say we're three of a kind." Dora said getting a kick from Serina under the table. "Actually we've known Nick for years. Our dad's were friends." Getting kicked from two different directions that time. Only the energy she had felt came from Nick not Serina and was shocked.

Josh looked at Nick. "Is that for real? Man you never talk about your dad."

Nick gave Dora a look that almost froze her. "Yeah," not looking at his friends. "Yeah they were friends but I haven't seen these two since... well it seems like forever."

Serina figured she had better fix this and fast. "Our family moved to the East coast from Oklahoma when we were three so we were shocked to find out Nick and his mom lived here. We're just catching up with each other."

Mako looked between Nick and the girls feeling like something was off. "So you knew each other before you moved. Then what, fifteen years later you find out your families are living in the same town again. Wow that's so freaking weird." he added when Nick and Dora nodded.

Josh was the more suspicious of the two, there was just something about the three of them he couldn't figure out. He and Nick were friends but Josh had always felt there was something he was hiding. Actually he figured Nick was using steroids or something, but could never prove it. "So if you lost touch how did you know Nick went to school here?"

Dora turned towards her friends brother. Lena had said he could be a dick at times and now she believed her. "Well it's like Mako said. Nick is kinda famous around here. I'm a swimmer too so when I saw the YouTube of Nick at a meet a few weeks ago I asked Serina to look him up when she and mom got here."

Serina was always impressed with Dora's ability to lie. "We got here early and I managed to see you guys race at the last meet. You were all very impressive but I recognized Mary from the family photo albums." People did still have photo albums didn't they, she thought. Oh well. "That's why Nick missed the last few day, our families were getting together again."

"Then why did you girls come to school. Didn't you want to spend time with Nick too?" Josh wouldn't let up.

"Trust me they did." Nick jumped in. He didn't like the way Josh was questioning Serina. "They did their best but their dad is a lot more strict then my mom. But getting to talk to their dad about my dad was great. Like I didn't know he was a biologist too. He studied sharks." Looking at Serina and shrugging. Lying always worked better when adding in some of the truth. Not that he had a lot of experience with that.

Mako punched Josh's shoulder. "Ease up man, be happy for Nick. He finally found out something about his dad." They all knew about Nicks family situation even though Nick clamed it didn't bother him. Saying his mom was more than enough parental authority. Turning back to the girls. "It must be nice knowing at least one person here. I would think having to move so close to the end of the year would be tough. How do you like it here?"

Serina laughed, Mako was obviously the talkative type, several of her friend from her college days had been like that and she found it charming. "It's definitely different then what we're used to." Wanting to prove she wasn't as uptight as Nick thought she was she added. "I almost feel like a fish out of water."

She had the satisfaction of watching both Nick and Dora start to choke at that and enjoyed the looks from the two boys. They were confused certainly but didn't say anything. The bell rang causing everyone to go off to their classes and Nick wasn't surprised to see Serina in his AP chemistry. What did surprise him was the fact that the teacher, Dr. Jursik, asked Nick if he would be her lab partner. Serina was delighted to have a teacher that didn't treat his students with kid gloves. In fact she was a little shocked at how out of date her skills were and even more shocked at how much she enjoyed working with Nick. 

Keri was right, Nick was a good kid and very smart, he didn't even laugh when she mixed up two slides and nearly had a stroke because of it. She wasn't used to being behind the times and was glad Nick didn't make fun of her for it. She didn't push him wanting him to get used to her and Dora before she brought up the idea of him coming to her house for the weekend. He had so much to learn and the sooner they started the better. When she did bring it up he wasn't sure about leaving his mom, especially for what she wanted him to do.   
Nick hadn't so much as put salt in water to cook with since he was thirteen years old so the idea of actually getting in the ocean terrified him. During class he found himself thinking about the last few days instead of listening to Ms Tyrone. So much had happened to him in the last week, he had finally accepted the fact that Aliens or Mer-people existed and by some twist of fate he was one of them. To actually see proof was a little nerve racking but Serina had been so kind and understanding, even with his friends, that he felt like he owed her.   
After that first day the girls had taken him home to figure out what exactly he was suppose to tell people. His mother had been surprised to see the two girls there with him when she had gotten home from work and after Nick told her what Dora had told everyone she said it was just crazy enough to work. Then Thursday when he got home it was his turn to be surprised, his mom was sitting at the kitchen table, it was always strange to see her home that early during a weekday. She told him her boss had given her the rest of the day off so she could get ready to start in a new position on Monday. She had gotten the promotion she had been working for, for the last year. She was now the head of her division with her own office and had over a dozen people working just for her. She was so happy she had even went shopping for a couple of new outfits before coming home. Nick knew that the position wasn't even suppose to be filled for another month and somehow he just knew that Serina had made this possible for his mother. For that alone he knew he couldn't say no to the weekend. Mary on the other hand was worried that he was doing things too fast and couldn't help but look at him asking, "Honey are you sure you're ready to do this? If you want to wait..."

"I don't think I can Mom. Honestly I'm scared to death but I can't explain it. Ever since you told me everything..." Looking at his mom not sure how to explain.

Mary reached over and took his hand. "What is it honey? I can call Serina if you want me to." she didn't like the idea him doing this without her but technically he was an adult now.

Nick laughed. "Mom I am eighteen you know, I don't need you to call them with an excuse. Besides I want to do this, I need to do this, I'm just nervous. If everything is like you guys think it is there's no way to go back from that."

"I wish you didn't have to do this at all. I don't care, I think I should go with you. You shouldn't be alone." getting up to check the food on the stove.

"Mom I'm not going to be alone. Serina and Dora both will be with me and I trust them. I think they really want to help us and.. "Pausing 

"And what honey?" almost afraid to ask.

Nick got up and walked to the patio door, looking out he watched the waves crashing on the sand twenty feet in front of their porch. "A few months ago I started feeling this pull, it's like the water is calling to me. Sometimes at night it's like I can hear or sense things out there calling to me. Serina says that I definitely have some type of telepathy skills."

"Are you sure? Why didn't you..." she started to ask but stopped "Sorry I don't have any room to question why you didn't say anything since I kept that part of your life a secret from you." coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around him. "No matter what happens I want you to know how very proud of you I am. I wish I could do this for you but I know that you can do this honey. It's just hard for me to think of you as a grown up."

Nick laughed and turned to hug his mother. "Please tell that to Serina and Dora, they keep treating me like a five year old. It's always," mimicking Serina. "Oh Nick you're doing soooo well. Here have another cookie." Mary laughed making him groan. "It's not funny mom, I know that to them I'm barely out of diapers but geeze give me some credit." feeling a little better. "So maybe if I don't freak out tomorrow they'll stop acting like my babysitters." he just wanted to impress them at something. "Are you sure you're gonna be okay by yourself mom. I don't like leaving you here alone."

"I'm not going to be alone." she told him.

Nick stepped back going into protective mode. "What do you mean you're not going to be alone? Who's coming over?" He knew his mom dated some but she had never been serious about anyone and she had never brought someone home.

Mary couldn't help but smile at Nicks look. Ever since he had been a little boy he had always seen himself as her protector. "You remember my friend Kimberly."

"The supervisor from the other division." she was a few years older then his mom but they had been friends since she had started working at Oceana Water Treatment Center. They worked with the four cities around Long Beach and Kimberly ran the North West division and now his Mom was taking over the South West branch. They were in charge of testing water sample for individual areas to make sure it wasn't contaminated. That also included the beaches every day to see if any of them had to be closed because of pollution.

"Well Kim offered to help me get things organized and ready to go so when you called to tell me about going to their place this weekend I asked her if she'd like to go out maybe catch a movie. She just broke up with her boyfriend so she said that sounded perfect. She even has passes for that new spa that opened at Bayside."

"That sounds great mom." He really was happy for her. "You deserve it and you're not the only one that's proud. You've worked so hard for that promotion and it finally paid off." taking a deep breath. "So I guess I'll just ride with them after school tomorrow and take the bus home on Monday."

"That sounds fine honey and if you need anything you know all you have to do is call me right." Mary had always dreaded this day. The day that he didn't need her anymore but then didn't every parent feel that way about their child.

"I will mom and don't worry I'll always need you no matter what." he didn't realize that he had heard her without her saying a word.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick starts his training with Serina.

Chapter 3

Nicks friends were extremely jealous the next day that he got to ride home in the Bugatti but the closer he got to their house the quieter he got. So many things were rolling around in his head he didn't know where to start. He was excited about figuring out what exactly he was but was willing to admit he was scared about it too. He knew that Dora's parents wouldn't be there, Serina told him that Neo had a meeting at one of the offices in San Diego and his wife had went with him wanting to give them some privacy. By the car that Serina drove he knew she had money but when they pulled on to Ocean Bluff drive he was stunned by the houses they passed, several of which he knew belonged to celebrities. They kept driving to the end of the road where there were no houses anywhere close to the gate they pulled up to.

Serina pulled up to a hand scanner and stopped by Nicks window. "Well here's your first test. At least it's a simple one and it's not painful."

Dora looked at him and smiled. "It's Antarian technology, it only opens for us. It doesn't just read palm prints it actually scans molecular DNA. If it scans Antarian the gate opens if not then you better pray someone's home cause you ain't getting in without that code."

"Just put your hand on the glass Nick and let's see what happens." She didn't say anything when she saw his hand shaking a little as he did like she said.

Nick tried to breath steady as he felt the glass under his palm started to vibrate. At least it looked like glass but it was rough to the touch instead of smooth. He felt a slight tingle as the scanner ran then barely five seconds later the gate clicked and started to open. "Well I guess that answers the first question. I'm definitely some kind of Antarian."

"Don't worry Nick everything's gonna be okay. I know Serina, she won't let anything happen to you. Trust me she's the best person to have on your side." Dora told him as they drove through the gate. Pretending to be sisters was easy since Serena was the closet to a sibling she had ever had. She was also her best friend. 

Nick hung his head and started to laugh. "Look I know you really don't know me that well and compared to you I must seem like a baby, but I'm not. I'm okay you don't need to coddle me. Sure learning all this was a shock and my reactions haven't been the best but I'm not the wimp you seem to think I am." He was surprised as they pulled up to an elegant but traditional Spanish style house close to the edge of the bluff. He had been picturing some techno house from outer space but this was much better. "How long have you lived here." Looking at Dora.

"Oh about sixty years now." Dora told him. "And I don't think you're a wimp Nick. Honestly I think you're handling things pretty well. I'm sorry if I made you think other wise." patting his arm affectionately.

Serina opened the door as Nick grabbed his tote bag. "So am I Nick. I just don't want to overwhelm you with too much too fast. And I had this place built back in the early 60's when the Spanish style was all the rage. My brother gave the land to me as a present for my twenty-third birthday"

Dora come up behind him and whispered, "Yeah in 1954." stepping away she laughed when she saw the look she was starting to recognize, the one he had every time he learned some new thing about their people. "I'm going to let you guys figure out what to do next and head to my room. I've got homework to finish."

"Dora you do realize you're not actually in school. It doesn't matter if you fail." Serina laughed.

"That's true, but Lena offered to look it over to make sure I was getting everything. We're meeting at Bayside for lunch tomorrow." Grabbing her bag and heading for her room. "Let me know if you guys need anything."

"Does she know Lena's gay?" Lena was definitely out to everyone.

Serina laughed. "Yes she does and so is Dora," he looked shocked again. "Sexuality was equalized before we ever left our original planet. Unlike the rest of the world none of us care. We've even had two kings and queens ruling at the same time."

"So you guys conquered equal rights but a person can't have legs in water." cocking his head just like his father used to do.

"I never said it was right and Titus has clearly lost his path. He used to be a very just and fair King but since his mate died he's gone off the deep end." Serina had never even met her mother since she had died the same day she had been born but from everything she had been told about Veritas she had been a very kind and caring person. She had also heard that she had been the calming influence Titus had relied on.

"How did she die?" she knew he was going to ask that.

"She was killed by landers just after giving birth to their last child. That was when Titus started hating the world." Serina believed that they were at a point where their existence wouldn't be that much of a surprise to most people but her father refused to listen to her.

"Sorry that sucks. Is that how my dad died? You never did say how that happened." looking around the rooms. Even though he had to ask he wasn't sure he wanted an answer. 

Serina took a breath. "I didn't want to upset your mother Nick but Leo was executed for breaking our laws."

"He was killed because of me wasn't he?" Nick hung his head trying to understand.

They were walking down a corridor towards her suites with Nick following when she suddenly stopped and turned to him. "You were only one reason Nicholas, your mother was another and the fact that she caught him swimming in the tank. Anonymity is our strongest protection." turning a corner she lead him down a flight of stairs. "He broke nearly every law Titus put in place after Veritas and their eldest son died." stopping at a door. "I thought you might like one of my rooms. I keep them for special guests." Turning to open a door. It was dark except for the huge windows that were open to a spectacular view of an underwater paradise of colorful coral and fish.

"Oh my god this is..." stepping forward Nick touched the glass. "This is incredible."

"Thank you." standing back letting him look around. Honestly she was extremely proud of the house and was thrilled that he liked it. "I wanted to have a little piece of home with me here. This grotto was the reason my brother bought the land. There was a natural cavern here and with a little help from some Antarian tech I was able to duplicate this reef. It's feed directly from the ocean every day by a series of tunnels." She stepped closer to the window and the fish swimming started moving closer to the window when they saw her. "They're all free to leave anytime they want but most stick around as long as I'm here. My rooms are next door so I'll let you get settled in. Just knock on the door to your right when your done setting your things up. When you're ready I can show them to you personally." He turned to look at her and Serina put her hand on his shoulder. "Just take your time Nick, we have all weekend to do this." patting his arm as she left him staring at a bat ray that swam by the window. Looking at it Nick could almost feel the happiness coming from it as it swam. He heard the door close and dropped his bag looking around the room. 

He saw a door on the left that opened to a huge bathroom with another open window looking out at the reef. Nick couldn't get over how beautiful the whole place was. Just looking out at the water was calming for him and he saw that the bat ray had followed him to that window. Just to see what happened he walked back to the bedroom only to have it follow again. Nick couldn't help himself he went back and forth between the rooms a dozen times and every time it chased him. After a minute he swore he felt laughter coming from the animal as Nick stopped and stood at the window. The ray continued to swim against the glass for a minute before doing a somersault and swimming away. Nick took a few minutes to unpack what little he had brought with him and headed into the hall. He knew this section was underwater yet it didn't bother him. He knocked on the door Serina had told him to only to hear her call out to come in. 

Walking in he was surprised to see what looked like a conference room complete with a twelve seat table, couches and even a bar area. Serina was looking through some papers and talking on a cellphone that he was surprised to see working underground. Like his room one wall was completely glass that bowed out to giving an even better view of the reef.

Serina signaled for him to be quiet as she talked. "Yes I know what's at stake but I will not rush this and make a mistake. The king wanted me to handle this and I am. I will do so at my own pace, if you don't trust me then send someone else. You know how I feel about being rushed and I do have other responsibilities besides hunting down a child. I'll contact you as soon as I know anything for sure, until then leave me be." hanging up. 

She hated lying to her oldest brother but he was more afraid of their father then she was and would follow his orders no matter what he wanted. If he knew what she was up to, hell he might turn her in himself. "Sorry about that," turning to Nick.

"It's fine," she looked upset but more relaxed here. "I guess you're walking a tightrope being with me. I'm sorry to put you in this position. I didn't realize that by helping me you're basically breaking your laws."

Serina went around the bar and poured two drinks handing one to Nick. "First off you didn't put me in this position my... king did. And second of all, I have a mind of my own and what he wants is wrong. You have nothing to be sorry about." taking a sip and watching Nick do the same. 

Having never been fond of beer he was leery of anything stronger but since she was drinking it he didn't want to be left out. Taking a small sip he choked as the liquid burned the back of his throat. "Oh man. How do you drink that stuff?" setting the glass down.

Serina smiled. "It's an acquired taste. Actually you should be careful of alcohol anyway, our bodies process it differently."

Nicks eyes went wide as he sat on a stool. "Please tell me you didn't just poison me." 

Laughing she handed him another glass, this time with water. "No I didn't. It's not toxic, we just have a low tolerance for it. One shot of bourbon can leave you dancing on a table with a lampshade on your head. You should be safe from that little bit though."

"Then how can you drink it?" wanting to know everything he could about her. That even explained why the one and only time he had drank beer with his friends he had gotten completely wasted on two cans.

Sitting down an the couch. "Honestly I have no idea. I can out drink any of our people, for some reason alcohol doesn't effect me at all. I can't even get drunk and believe me I've tried." the night Leo was killed she had drunk a whole bottle of scotch and didn't even get a headache. "So what do you want to do first? I'm sure you have a million questions."

Nick looked at her. "Honestly no I don't. I mean sure there's a bunch of stuff I need to learn but I'm more of a jump in and learn from   
experience kind of guy. You don't want to know how many burners and microscopes I went through or how many times I burnt my fingers with chemicals teaching myself chemistry. If I'm going to do this I'd rather get it over with." standing up. "So how do I do this? Just get in the ocean."

Serina smiled at his determined attitude, she would have laughed if he hadn't looked so green. "You're a little over dressed to go swimming. There's a robe in the bathroom closet in your room."

Standing up, "Alright I'll go get changed." heading for the door. "Where should I meet you?"

Getting up herself. "Just head upstairs, the patio is to your right and I'll meet you there. Oh and Nick," he stopped half in the hall. "Just wear the robe. Shorts don't really mix with a tail." He turned red and shut the door fast. Serina couldn't help but laugh as she headed to her room to change. Nudity was normal for them and modesty had never been an issue. Although now a days most of their women wore bikini tops when swimming, but not all of them herself included. Nick was going to have to get use to that if he was to go with her to see her father to ask for leniency and his rightful place in the council. Deciding not to shock him too much on the first day she went to her dresser and pulled out a top.

Twenty minutes later Nick was standing next to a huge pool that ran the length of the house. He was confused since he had thought the bedrooms would look out in to it but the pool was crystal clear and only a few feet deep. He looked up to see Serina and Dora talking before Dora waved and headed in another direction. Serina was standing there in a swim top and a towel and Nick turned back to the pool and took a deep breath.

Serina had seen him and came up behind him. "Nick we don't have to do this." Thinking it was nerves that was bothering him.

Not looking at her, "I need to do this, I want to do it. But I've been swimming in pools for years."

"Not this type of pool, it's all saltwater." taking his hand. "Nick I know you're scared, who wouldn't be and that's fine. I don't want you to think I would ever hold that against you. I've known who I am since the day I was born, I can't imagine the courage needed to learn all this at your age. Plus we don't even know if you'll change or not. You could have the same anomaly that Dora has and if you do that would put you permanently out of the Kings sight."

Nick laughed "In other words I should hope to be a genetic anomaly." looking at her hand in his. "What do I have to do?"

Pulling his hand she walked with him up to the top of the waterfall to show him a hole big enough to jump through that was hidden behind a group of trees. "This way if anybody should be looking they won't see anything behind the waterfall. This is the entrance to the cave that you saw from your bedroom."

Now that he was standing here only a foot away from salt water the memory of his only contact came rushing back. "What does it feel like... to change. Cause the last time I got in the ocean it felt like I was getting stabbed by a million knives."

She nodded, "That's because you'd been avoiding the water. The pain is from your cells soaking up the moisture. I won't lie to you that's probably what you're going to feel at first but it will only last a minute then you'll be able to see everything that you've been studying for years up close. Plus it won't ever hurt like that again. You'll be able to jump in the ocean anytime you want." letting go of his hand. "All you have to do is jump." She took a step and fell into the hole. 

Nick looked through the hole but didn't see her. "You okay." he didn't hear anything besides the waterfall. "Serina? " all of a sudden he saw a flash of blue and there she was looking up at him.

"What are you waiting for?" Smiling she looked different with her hair slicked back from the water and he could see something blue moving under her. "I'll move over there and turn around if you're nervous about taking the robe off in front of me although from what I saw at the meet you've got nothing to be embarrassed about." Grinning as she turned away grateful that swim uniforms were so skimpy. "And don't worry it's over fourteen feet deep here."

Nick stood up trying to breathe correctly because that was definitely a fin that breached the water behind her. “Holy crap." to himself. Looking around there was no one in sight and he giggled. "Stop acting like an idiot this is what you are?" thinking to himself. "Do you really want her to keep thinking of you as a baby?" Looking down at the water again. 

"Nick if you want to wait..." he heard her call out.

"No I'm coming." Dropping his robe he took a deep breath and jumped. At first he didn't feel anything but the comfort of cool water all around him and the familiar weightlessness. Surfacing he saw Serina in the corner by the waterfall .

"That wasn't so hard was it." smiling at him as she swam closer.

"You have no idea." Feeling at home in the water he smiled back. "I thought I would feel different, maybe I am like Dor...aaaaaa," as the pain started in his legs. "Oh god," trying to breath. "Something's... wrong." feeling like thousands of needles where piercing every inch of his legs and feet at the same time. "I can't... I can't do... this." going under the water.

Serina had never seen such a strong reaction and when he went under she automatically swam to him grabbing on to his arms. "Nick look at me it's going to be okay" using her mind not her voice. "Nick it's okay." the pain and fear he was feeling was more then she could take. "Nick look at me. Look at me!!!" 

Nick was riding wave after wave of pain that felt like he was being skinned alive. He knew Serina was holding on to him and heard her calling to him but he couldn't get past the pain. The second time she yelled he opened his eyes and everything was blurry. All he saw was shadows as the pain moved higher into his groin and he closed his eyes again. Gasping for air his mouth filled with the salty cool water of the ocean he had dreamed about for years. 

Nick was panicking and if he didn't calm down he could drown. "Nick I know it hurts but you have to calm down." 

This time when he opened his eyes everything was perfectly clear. Serina was holding his arms as the water caused her hair to fan out   
around her. He didn't know how to do it but all he thought was, "How?"

Surprised at how loud he sounded she grinned. "That's it Nick just look at me. You can hear me right?" He nodded, "Well tell me."

The next wave wasn't as strong and as it faded he looked at her. "I can hear you. Can you hear me?"

Serina reached out and brushed his check with her hand. "Loudly, you can try a little softer if you want." 

Swallowing he felt the water run down his throat as he realized he was underwater. He wasn't breathing air and the pain was slowly fading away. "I'm not breathing?" hoping that wasn't as loud for her.

"Yes you are, it's just that your skin cells are absorbing the oxygen from the water and constantly fills your lungs so that no water can get in. We don't need air to live," smiling as he calmed down a little. "I'm a little surprised you haven't asked about your legs yet." teasingly.

"My legs?" afraid to look. He half expected to see blood covering the water.

"Remember what I said about the genetic anomaly, I don't think that's going to be an option." still holding on to his arms she moved a little so that he could look down. She felt his shock when he saw the pale blue tail instead of the legs he was so used to.

"Holy shit!" reaching down to make sure this was real. He hadn't known what to expect as he reached out to touch the skin thinking it would be slimy but it wasn’t. It felt rubbery and smooth but also warm to the touch and very ticklish. "It's real..." trying to move the fin. Only that didn't work as well as he had hoped and he ended up bouncing against the wall.

"Hold on, not so fast." smiling as she grabbed him to keep him from hitting the rocks. "You have to move your whole body not just your feet. Watch me." as he held on to the wall marveling at the fact that he had been afraid of this now. It seemed natural to stay under the water and not surface to breath, he was stunned that he didn't even feel the need to. He watched as Serina moved deeper into the cavern swimming back and forth. She kept her arms in front of her or at her side as she used the muscles in her back and what used to be legs to make a beautiful darker blue tail rise and fall as it propelled her body swiftly through the water. After a dozen passes she came over to him. "Like that. Don't think of two legs just picture one leg rolling up and down. Now try again." pushing him off the wall.

Nick closed his eyes for a second getting the feel of the currents flowing over him. This time he let himself float straight in the water before opening his eyes and trying to copy her movements. It was a lot harder then she made it look but after a few minutes of some stiff movements he finally caught on. It was just a like learning a new technique from his coach and that had never been a problem for him. 

Serina watched him swim back and forth trying not to laugh at first. She was surprised when he looked at her and shrugged, apparently he had heard her. She realized he was a much stronger telepath then his father had been and a very quick learner. Within minutes he was swimming perfectly and had even done a somersault laughing the whole time. She swam up to him feeling the joy and wonder radiating off him. "What do you think? It's not so bad being different is it?"

Nick grabbed her and hugged her tight. "Are you kidding? I feel like I just won the lottery. My whole life I've felt there was a part of me missing. I thought it was growing up without my dad, but it was this. I felt it the second I hit the water, when I opened my eyes and everything was clear... My eyes what color are they?" seeing her eyes weren’t green anymore but a solid black with a very thin circle of green at the edge.

Grinning at his excitement. "Black like mine," touching his check again, "with a little greenish blue." cocking her head for a minute, "Almost the same color as your tail." laughing as he looked back to make sure it was still there. "Now would you like to see the reef."

The way his eyes lit up, "Very much. I've dreamed of being able to touch the coral since I was a kid."

Reaching out she took his hand, "Then come with me and you can see my pride and joy." she led them to the back of the grotto to an opening leading down. As they swam through, lights on either side of the walls turned on until the tunnel opened up into a giant cavern. She let go of his hand as dozens of small fish came towards them circling them and brushing up against their fins. 

Nick laughed as a tiny yellow fish come up to touch his nose. He had studied marine life since he was a kid and found out he would never be able to see it up close. He knew the names of every type of creature he saw but to be able to hold his hand out and actually touch them was more breath taking then he ever dreamed. He was glad he was underwater so Serina couldn't see the tears he knew would be filling his eyes as a yellow tang nibbled on the tips of his fingers. This was what coming home felt like he thought, it was like he had been living a half life and now he was suddenly whole. It wasn't like he could have a conversation with the fish but he did a get feelings of happiness and excitement from them. When one fish got a little aggressive all he had to do was think 'no' and it backed off. To his left he saw Serina watching him with this look of wonder on her face. "What?"

"It's just… I didn't think you'd catch on so fast. Your swim coach would be impressed." grinning.

"He'd be completely freaked out if he saw this?" laughing. "I take it I'm doing better than you expected?" Nick asked. Swimming closer she gave a little push for the fish to go back to the corals. "I felt that! Like electricity or something."

"You're more sensitive then I thought. Did you sense the feelings from the fish?" curious.

"Yeah, they were happy to see us. This one likes me." Pointing to the yellow tang that had swam back and was hiding behind him out of Serina's sight. "Though it feels weird when he moves his fin against my ass."

Serina threw her head back laughing. Then pointed at the Tang, it was only half grown at about five inches long. It came around him and swam into her cupped hands. "You like Nick huh. Well don't worry he's going to be here for a few days. But you have to let him be for a little bit, he's still learning how to swim." she told the little thing. What surprised Nick was that it actually seemed to understand her. "Now swim back to your school and I'll make sure that he says goodbye before we leave." The Tang swam in a circle around her hand then around Nick before heading back to the school of fish swimming around the reef with a turtle.

"He understood you." Nick was stunned. 

"In a way. How did you know it's a he?" she looked so beautiful floating there in front of him with her golden hair fanning out around her. Her top was almost the same color as her tail and with the sun light streaming down he could see that it wasn't just blue but that it also had shades of green and some reddish orange colors in the fin that looked like veins. 

"I don't know I just do. He just sounded, or more like felt, like a male... He is isn't he?" wondering if he was right.

"You're right he is and he does like you." swishing her tail to back up she held out her arms. "So what do you think of my back yard?" 

Looking around he was in awe. "It's wonderful, but where is the light coming from. I thought this was a cave." 

Serina smiled and swam to the ceiling with Nick following her. "There are thousands of solar light emitters scattered across the top of the cavern that mimic the rotation of the sun and moon. A sensor on top of the waterfall translates the exact conditions to them so everything that happens outside happens in here too. Even lightning and rain thanks to some sprinklers. You'll have to ask Neo to explain it to you..."

"Neo? That's Dora's father." she just nodded. "He's in charge of your business."

"He's the face of it right now. Every twenty years or so we change CEO's. It's between me, Neo, my brother Nix and Dora, she'll get her first chance when Neo retires this time. Then she'll have a daughter and it'll be my turn again. Of course that's just on the surface, I still make all the big decisions." squaring her shoulders and straightening her back.

"Of course you do." laughing. "So basically you guys invented solar lights huh."

"Let's just say we made a few suggestions when we invested in the company." swimming over the top of the reef.

Nick saw that the cavern wasn't square like he thought, it curved into another room where this time he saw the windows to her rooms and his as well as two other bedrooms. He also wasn't surprised to see the ray that had been watching him in the rooms swim out from behind a pillar of coral and swim right to him. He wasn't afraid of it at all, the way it came to him reminded him of a dog coming to it's owner. The closer it got the stronger the connection was and by the time it brushed his tail Nick was sensing joy and happiness from him. In his head he heard a funny sound that almost sounded like a high pitched "ccaammmee. pppllaaayyyy". Looking at Serina. "Did you say something?"

Serina looked shocked. "No I never said a word. Did you hear something?" 

"Ppplllaaayyy" He heard again this time as the ray swam up his side tickling his fin. "You want to play is that it?" running his hand over it's back. "lllikkkee" Nick heard. "You like this?" he asked the ray and heard, "ssswwwimm" as it took off gliding towards the coral. Nick didn't think he just took off after the ray gliding with it up and down laughing as it covered itself with sand only for him to find it. Like a game of underwater hide and seek.

Serina didn't say anything as she watched them play. It was obvious Nick had inherited his fathers ability, he was a sensitive or telepath to sharks. She looked forward to seeing him with one of the sharks off the coast, knowing he was in for a surprise. She looked at the window to her living room and saw Dora there with a camera. She knew how much Mary had wanted to be here for this but she had felt that might put too much pressure on Nick. Instead she promised to get at least one picture of Nick and had asked Dora to do it for her. Nick was so busy playing hide and seek with the ray he didn't even see her with the camera. He looked like the kid he kept telling them he wasn't chasing after the ray. After what seemed like hours Nick started to get tired, promising to come back and play tomorrow he watched as the ray swam through a different tunnel before heading over to Serina. "I think I need to call it a day."

"I'm surprised you didn't feel it earlier. You're using muscles you didn't know you had, literally. Come on I'll see about getting something to eat." she told him then turned and headed back the way they had come in. She saw Nick head for the school of Tangs as he remembered her promise to the little one. The fact that he remembered and took time to basically say goodbye made something warm form in her chest. Something she wasn't sure was a good thing. Once he was done they swam back up the tunnel and came out at the waterfall. "Nick when you get out you're going to have to stay relaxed and concentrate on your breathing. I don't want you to panic like you did at the meet."

"I think I know what you're talking about. Just close my eyes and try to breath air through my nose."

"You'll choke a little when the water comes out but that's normal until you get use to changing. Are you ready?" she asked.

"I hate to leave but yeah." For the first time in hours Nick broke the surface. Once he did, he understood what she meant about not panicking. As soon as the air hit him he felt the need to take a deep breath but he fought it and slowly he was able to let the water clear his throat, she did it by squirting at him, and like that his vision cleared and he could breath again. "That was so totally cool." It felt strange to hear his own voice.

Serina smiled, "You did beautifully Nick. You're a natural, your mom's going to be so proud of you."

Nick laughed, "My mom! Hell I'm proud of me. Once the pain went away it was like I had been doing this my whole life. Thank you Serina."

"I didn't do anything Nick, this was all you." Proud of him herself.

Nick took her hand. "You took a chance and didn't kill me, for that I think you've done a lot." looking down he saw he still had a tail. "So now I know how to bring out the tail, I can't believe I actually said that but," laughing, "how does the tail go away?"

Serina looked at him, she really was impressed by his ability to just accept his new reality. "You just need to dry off. Come on." Looking to her right he saw her put a hand on a scanner, like the one on the gate, and a section of the wall opened for her to swim inside with him following her. Once inside he saw stone benches sticking out from the wall. As soon as they were both inside she hit another panel, the door closed and the water started going down until it was completely gone. 

Once the water was out Nick kept looking down at his tail, touching his sides as he studied himself and Serina. He noticed what looked like a slit just below his hip bones on both of them and thought he knew what it was but he asked anyway. "Serina I hate to ask but what is this?" trying not to touch it.

She laughed as his face turned a little pink. "Exactly what you think it is. It's the pouch for you penis. When we mate... "

Nick threw up his hands "Ta, ta, ta, ta, ta I don't think we need to go into that yet. If you don't mind I think I'd rather talk to Dora's dad about this."

Serina had to smile. "Alright I'll make sure to tell Neo to save some time for you. But just so you know everything is basically the same. Just underwater." 

Warm dry air started coming down from vents in the ceiling quickly drying them off. Nick was surprised to feel the change starting in his legs only there was no pain this time, just a slight tingling sensation. Looking over he saw that the blue in Serina’s tail was slowly turning to a light shade of pink. That was also when he realized that he would be naked without the tail. "Umm you wouldn’t happen to have some towels in here would you? You know to cover certain areas that come out when we're dry."

"Damn and here I was hoping you wouldn't remember." winking at him.

"Serina come on," seeing the color leaving his tail now and felt more tingling in what would be his toes in a minute.

Laughing at him she reached for the scanner again and punched in a code. Much to Nick's relief another panel opened near him and he saw shelves of warm towels. "Thank you."

"It's fine Nick. I know it'll take some time to get used to the nudity part of this and if you don't that fine too. A lot of us now prefer to cover up in between changes to. Thanks," as he handed her a towel. "Are you really as okay with this as you look?" She asked.

Able to stand up with the help of a loop in the ceiling he wrapped the towel around his waist before sitting down again. He could just see his legs starting to show up. "Trust me I wouldn't have believed it if it wasn't happening to me but it just feels right. I can't explain it better then that." wiggling his toes now. "This life makes sense. As crazy as that sounds. I always thought that studying marine life was as close as I was going to get. Now.." smiling.

"I'm glad you're happy Nick." standing up and opening a door on the opposite side of the room where a circular stairway led to the top of the waterfall where Nick grabbed his robe and headed for the house. 

Dora looked up as they came in. "So Nick feel like having fish sticks for dinner." making Serina roll her eyes.

Nick laughed. "At this point I'll eat anything, I'm starving but I think I'll go put some pants on first." heading for the stairway. Just before leaving the room he stopped and turned back. "I just want thank both of you. You've made this whole bizarre situation fun, I can't imagine going through this alone. So just thank you."

"You're welcome Nick," Dora said, "I'm glad everything worked out for you."

"Go change and I'll see what we have to eat. " Serina told him looking at Dora. " I promise it won't be fish sticks." He left and she turned back to her friend. "Are you okay Dora?"

"What, me? Sure I'm great." closing her book and sitting back.

"Then why don't I believe you." taking her hand. "This can't have been easy for you."

Dora blew out a breath. "Serina it's okay. I'm okay. I'm happy for Nick. At least he doesn't have to worry about being a freak to his own people."

"You're not a freak Dora. You have a gen..."

"Genetic disorder that our king wants to eradicate. Until you decide to stand up to your father I'll never be able to even see the place   
that's suppose to be a sanctuary for my own kind." she said a little sharper then she had intended. "Am I happy for Nick? Yes. Do I wish things were different for me? Yes. But I have good life here and in a few years I'll get to head up the largest marine research facility in the world. A place where me not having a tail won't matter to anyone and if it does...." looking at Serina. "I can fire them."

Serina hugged her then tweaked her nose. "I knew that naming you a successor would cheer you up, if not giving you something to work for. I know you're more then capable of running the business and I have all the faith in the world in you. Now please tell me your mother left something for us to eat or do I have to call for take out." rolling her eyes as Dora laughed.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Nick took a quick shower and changed then sat down on his bed watching the window. He was exhausted and his legs felt like he had just run a marathon, but looking at the fish swimming around all he wanted was to be back out there with them. Heading upstairs he saw the two girls, laughing to himself at the fact that they were old enough to be his mother or even grandmother. Dora was in the kitchen warming up a lasagna she said her mother had made for them. Nick thought it was funny to be talking about different Antarian laws while eating Italian food. 

Serina explained to him that they really only had one law that mattered and that was to keep their existence a secret. Other then that it was basically the same as the Landers, no stealing from others, no violence which Dora snorted at saying the King had started the genetic testing on all pregnancies and if human DNA was dominant the pregnancy had to be terminated. Serina was fast to let him know that she thought the whole thing was barbaric and completely unnecessary. They were children for gods sake, so what if they couldn't breath underwater or they weren't able to get a tail. The way she talked about it made him think that she had some experience with that law and wondered if either she or someone she knew had a pregnancy that ended because of it. 

After dinner they sat around talking, mostly Dora telling stories about growing up here and funny stories about Serina. Serina told him about her college days and he was surprised to learn she had degrees from Harvard, Yale and Oxford as well as a masters in computer science from MIT. When he asked why she wanted Neo to tell him about the lights in the cave Dora started laughing. She said listening to Serina explain technology was like trying to read the Canterbury Tale in Old English when you were in fourth grade. Serina slapped her with a pillow then looked at him saying Neo just did a better job explaining things then she did.

Nick liked spending time with them and liked that they didn't look down on him for not knowing something. All he had to do was ask and they were more then willing to tell him anything he wanted to know. He learned about the governing bodies of Antarian law, the royal house and eight other houses that answered to the one King or Queen. Each of the eight houses had a central counsel with a ruler who was appointed by the king or queen that was responsible for the oceans around them. He also learned that there were only around a one and a half million Antarian’s with the majority of them living in the under water cities. He was surprised to learn that it wasn't a submerged city where they swam through the streets.

Instead Serina told him the cities were domed with areas like her cavern, what they called parks, where they could go and swim in safety. Dora said that didn't mean they didn't swim around free in the oceans just that there were areas where they were more careful to avoid predators. Serina said without people like his father, that could communicate and control sharks and whales, it wasn't unheard of for children to be killed by them. Even her Uncle Layson had been killed protecting a child from a Great White and his oldest son, Nero, had been named as head of the North Atlantic house after his death. 

Just after eleven they called it a night and headed to their rooms. Nick didn't know if it was the fact that Serina was so close by or that he had spent the day with her but that night his dreams were more detailed and much more intense then any he had had before. So vivid he had to get up once to take a cold shower. He had never had this reaction to any girl before and wished that Dora's father would get home early just so he could talk to him about it. Nick remembered his mother saying something about his father dreaming about her before he had met her but honestly he hadn't wanted to talk about his mom's sex life. He figured he could make it through the weekend then maybe ask his mom some more about it when he got home. By the time he woke up the next day every muscle in his legs hurt and he could barely stand up. Somehow he managed to make it up stairs only to find Serina making coffee and watching something on the stove. A second later he saw smoke and heard her cursing. Hobbling in he saw what looked like black pancakes being tossed in the trash. 

"I take it you don't normally cook." He said startling her and she turned towards him quick. It looked like she was blushing for a second before she turned back to the stove to drop the pan. 

"No I don't cook much, I just thought I'd try." scraping the charred mess into a trash can. When she turned to him again she was completely normal and he wondered if he had imagined the pink in her cheeks.

"That's okay, I usually cook for mom on the weekends, pay back for all the meals she's cooked me, I keep telling her." The more he walked the looser his muscles got and by the time Dora got up he had plates of bacon, eggs, toast and fruit cut up ready for them to eat and he almost felt normal.

"Where did you learn to cook Nick?” Dora asked as she popped a piece of cantaloupe in her mouth.

Nick sat down next to her taking a plate for himself. "My grandmother loved to cook and as her only grandchild she forced me to help her every holiday. Then after she died I felt so guilty for complaining that every time mom cooked I asked if I could help. I'm not great but at least I'll never starve."

Serina laughed, "Well you're certainly better then me. In the palace we always had cooks when I was growing up." not realizing what she had said until Dora kicked her and Nick turned to look at her.

"You lived in the palace? Does your family work for the King or something?" wanting to know everything he could about her.

Dora jumped on that one fast. "Actually her father is close to the King, like an advisor."

"One that he never listens too?" Serina added looking at Dora gratefully. "So are you ready to try the pool again today." changing the subject.

"More then ready." and he was. Just the thought of swimming again had him excited. "Are you going to join us Dora?"

"Maybe for a little while, I promised Lena I'd meet her around 2 at Bayside. She's suppose to help me with homework." Winking at him.

"Yeah like you need help. How many bachelor degrees do you have again?" he asked laughing.

"Six and a doctorate, but don't tell her that." laughing. "She's nice and I like talking to her." Scrunching up her eyes she pointed her finger. "Don't blow this for me Merman." 

******************************

This time Nick was prepared for the pain but to his surprise there was only a tingling sensation. Like putting your tongue on a battery, it wasn't painful just startling. Dora joined them for an hour or so, and he was surprised at how easy it was to communicate with her underwater as well. The three of them swan around until noon then got out to have lunch with Dora before she headed to town. Serina and Nick sat around the deck for awhile before jumping back in. Nick wasn't surprised to see that the ray was back, thinking it wanted to play again but this time she wasn't alone, she had brought another ray with her. Only this one was scared, he knew it the minute he saw it. His ray he knew was a female and had started thinking of her as Jewel and she kept brushing fins with the smaller male. When it was ready Jewel brought him over to Nick. He could see why it was scared and felt the pain coming from him, a large hook was caught in the corner of it's mouth. 

"The poor thing." Serina said as she came over to see what was going on. She had hung back letting Nick get used to his abilities but wanting to be close just in case.

"He's in so much pain and he hasn't eaten in a couple weeks." as image after image flashed in his head. He heard Jewel say "hhheeellppp" in his head. "Will he let me look?" thinking how absurd it was to talk with a the ray. Just then he heard a deeper sound almost guttural. "yyeesss hhhuuurrrttt." 

"You can help him Nick." putting her hand on his shoulder. "I saw your father do the same thing to a tiger shark one time and that was a much bigger hook."

He looked at her for a second then at the ray. "This is going to hurt so please don't stab me okay." he pictured himself removing the hook in his mind and the ray turned on it's back so Nick could see better. The hook had been in for a while, it was rusty and the area around it was raw from where it rubbed the ground while it tried to eat. Very gently he touched the area and heard. "hhhuuurrrttt" again. "I know it hurts little one." rubbing the back and wings. "But I have to touch it to get it out, I'm sorry." settling on speed rather then gentle he reached out and grabbed the hook end pulling as hard as he could. The minute it came free he could see what looked like puss coming out of the wound. Not even knowing what he was doing he cupped his hand over the wound and felt a blast of energy going into the ray. After a second the ray turned right side up as Jewel glided around it happily.

"You did it Nick." proud of him Serina came up behind him touching his arm

Nick looked over his shoulder at her. "I'm not even sure what the hell I just did." as the male circled him. "ttthhaannkkss" weakly. "He's still hurting but he needs to eat something or he won't make it."

Serina looked around and saw the grouping of clams she had brought in a few years ago on one of the pillars and went to grab a handful. The two of them took turns feeding the male until Nick was sure he was alright. "Now look, you need to stay here for a few days until that heals. I'll bring you enough food until you're able to hunt again." then he heard "hhaaappppyyy". 

Nick rubbed it's back "You're welcome, just remember to avoid what looks like easy meals from now on. Do you have a name cause your friend here I call Jewel." when all he felt was confusion he realized that he was asking a fish it's name. "Fine what about Pierce do you like that?" this time he felt it's joy. "Pierce it is. Jewel and Pierce, I like that. Jewel look after him okay." holding out a few clams for her now. "I'll bring down something for you both tonight." looking at Serina. "Or can they come up to the pool? I could feed them there without fishing out right?"

"If they fit through the tunnel they can come up anytime they want, it's fine with me." she tried to show the female how to get up to the pool. It wasn't as easy for her but she thought the female understood her. They left the two to settle down after Nick checked the wound again, it wasn't as red and if he wasn't mistaken the hole was smaller too. After they were dry Nick was glad to see that he wasn't as sore as he thought he would be. In fact he felt great, stronger and more attuned to things.

"Serina what did I do down there? To the ray I mean, that energy what was it?" he asked as they sat in the living room eating the pizza she had had ordered in.

"I told you we can emit low level electricity. Some of us with extra talent, like what you have..."

"Me?" sitting up. "I thought I was just normal like you."

Serina smiled wondering what he would say if he knew everything she could do. "Nick you obviously have your fathers skill with sharks, The way the rays responded to you is extra ordinary. Even I have trouble communicating with them."

"So that's why Jewel came to me," thinking more to himself.

"Jewel?"

Nick shrugged. "I sort of named the female Jewel and the male is Pierce. I don't know it just felt right. What?" when she just sat there looking at him. 

"I can't get over how accepting you are of all this. I thought you would freak out a little more then you have." laughing at his look. "I don't mean it that way, it's just... if we had just met I would have never believed you had never swam before. Everything just comes naturally to you."

"I wouldn't say that, believe me I'm still freaking out a little but I've been dreaming about swimming like this since I was child. Even though I haven't been in the ocean I still feel like I have." looking at her he saw a different expression on her face.

"What things have you dreamed Nick?" she saw him flush for a second before he answered her.

"Different things, I've been dreaming of swimming on coral reefs for years. When my mom told me about how she met my dad I could see that as clearly as I see you now. I don't know how but I've dreamed that meeting before."

"Genetic memory," she said and he looked up. "We can pass on important information to our children that way. Not every memory but the ones that make the biggest impressions on us. But unless there's someone who can explain it you not everything makes sense." There were things that had to have come from her mother that Titus refused to talk about that still confused her.

Nick thought for a minute. "So it's like I'm seeing his memory of how he met my mom." sitting back in the chair. "I can't believe it. All this time I wished for something of my dad's and I had his memories. That's incredible." Serina let him soak that up for a while as she cleaned up the pizza boxes and took them to the kitchen. When she came back in he was ready for her. "Okay so what else can I do besides talk to rays and sharks?"

She couldn't help but smile at the excited look on his face. "Well you know about the energy, that you can use it for defense or to heal."

"Like with Pierce?" He asked.

The way he named them was just like his father, the man once had a pet tiger shark he called Bullet. "Yes but we try to keep that to a minimum. We don't like to upset the natural balance but we've all helped something at one time or another. You don't have to worry about that since you need to practice using that to hold them off as well. That way if you run into a great white you'll know what to do." she saw his eyes go wide at that thought. "Not that you should be out in open water for a while. You don't want to become a sea treat."

Laughing, "No that would definitely not be good. What else?"

"Well you're extremely sensitive to telepathy, so you're probably able to read minds out of the water and not just with other Antarian’s. The other day in the lunch room you were connecting with your friend but you stopped. Now that you've been using that talent for the last few days you'll need to be careful Monday." he looked upset at that so she added. "In other words don't think about any of them stepping in front of a bus or anything like that." patting his hand. "Nick you're going to be fine, look how fast you've been able to learn everything so far. It's just like learning different swimming technique, once you learn it's easy." standing up, "So are you ready to try again?" holding out her hand.

Reaching out he took her hand and swore he felt the rush of energy flow into him and was shocked to see her let go quickly. "Serina what was that? Why do I feel that surge of energy every time I touch you out of water. It doesn't happen with Dora."

Serina knew why but wasn't ready to tell him about it just yet. That rush was something between mates and since she wasn't sure how she was feeling about this new twist she just shrugged. The last thing she needed was to have him start wanting to mate with her. "You're just learning to control the energy, it's normal so don't worry about it you're fine."

He spent the rest of the afternoon and evening learning how to call and push away the fish. Marveling at Serina's ability to push all but one or push one away from a school. Nick took the time to check on Jewel and Pierce happy to see he was swimming around more. They took turns feeding them again until the rays let him know they were full. Normally solitary creatures Nick was surprised at how attentive Jewel was to the smaller male. By the time Dora got home he was able to keep the fish at bay and to call certain ones to him. The juvenile Tang was the only one who wouldn't stay away from him no matter what he did. By the time he and Serina headed to the surface he had named the bright yellow fish Shadow and had to force it to go back to it's school without him. Dora had brought home several boxes of Chinese takeout that they split for dinner. That was also where he learned he wasn't the only one who liked spicy food, he and Serina had a chop stixs battle for the last piece of general tao's chicken. Dora had laughed at the two of them fighting and stole the thing for herself.

Nick called his mom after heading to bed early, he hadn't talked to her all day and wasn't surprised that she picked up after the first ring. Serina told him to be careful what he said over the phone in case someone might be listening in. Apparently she had also told his mom that too because she was very careful how she asked questions. He told her he was having a wonderful time with the girls and that they were teaching him a lot of new things. Nick actually hoped someone was listening in, if they didn't know what they were really talking about it took on a more sexual tone. He told her that Serina was a good teacher and he was catching on fast and that she said he was a quick study. His mom told him that she and Kim had made a day out of it, they had went to the spa and she had helped pick out a couple new suits for work. Tomorrow they were heading up the coast to a water park for the day and for him to stop worrying she was fine and it sounded like he was too. Mary told him how proud she was of him again and that she wanted lots of details when he got home on Monday. He promised to call her the next night then opened the window to look out at the reef. He wasn't surprised to see the two rays buried in the sand under his window. Touching the glass he was amazed at how much he wanted to be out there with them even though he was exhausted. Yawning he crawled into bed wondering if he would ever think of this as just another day and not a miracle.

The next morning Nick woke up to a buzzing in his head, when he sat up he saw Jewel and Pierce looking in the window at him. As strange as it was he knew that Pierce was feeling much better and they were saying good morning. Shaking his head at what was now considered normal he felt the energy leave him as he said good morning to the two and watched them swim off. Sunday went the same as the day before only this time Dora joined them. He loved the way she was able to keep up with them even without a tail and he got a kick out of her reaction when he introduced the two rays to her. She told him her abilities weren't as strong as his or Serina's and that sometime she had trouble connecting with the fish so the way he had them swimming around her was a treat. Around noon they got out for lunch, Dora said she didn't know if her parents would be back that night or tomorrow but hoped it would be that night. Nick was comfortable now with being different but the thought of meeting two people who were both hundreds of years old was a little overwhelming. 

After talking to his mom later that night it was obvious Dora's parents weren't coming home. Nick tried to settle down and sleep but after watching the fish swimming for two hours and wondering when the next time he would be able to swim with them would be he got up and went out to the pool. It was almost midnight and there were no lights on outside. Looking around to make sure nobody was watching then dropped his pajama pants and dove in. The familiar feel of the change was comforting now and with a few flicks of his tail he was under the waterfall heading for the cave. It was different at night not just darker because his eyes were able to pick up the smallest light and reflect it. Serina had described it as cat eyes, for him it was like seeing in the dark. The fish were quite and he knew they were sleeping, he saw Jewel and Pierce covered in sand under his window and he swore he heard Pierce snoring and laughed. He swam around just trying to relax when he noticed that Serina's windows weren't shut. He hadn't planed on it but he swam to her bedroom window and saw she was sound asleep in her bed. Nick knew he should move away but she looked so young and at ease. He felt sorry for her, sometimes it felt like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders but she carried it with an ease he envied. He knew she was risking her life to help him and he wanted to make sure he did everything she told him to do. Leaning up against the wall Nick closed his eyes feeling the flow of water over his fins. He didn't think he would ever get used to the wonder and joy of just looking at the world around him.

He felt something tickling his nose first then heard a tapping coming from above his head. Opening his eyes he expected it to still be dark but instead bright light was shining down on the corals around him and it was Shadow tickling his nose while Jewel and Pierce were picking at a crab that had crawled in during the night. The only thing he didn't understand was the tapping until he looked up to see Serina dressed and knocking on the glass. He swam up so they were eye to eye and learned that even between glass he could still hear her.

"Thank God! I thought I was going to have to jump in to get you." She said throwing her hands in the air. "Well don't just float there grinning go dry off or you're going to be late to school."

Putting a hand on the glass Nick smiled. "Sorry I didn't plan to fall asleep. Could you ask Dora to make me some toast or something and..." remembering he had dropped his pants by the pool. "I don't suppose you could grab me some clothes and meet me at the waterfall."

Serina hated being late more than anything but he looked so cute asking if she'd pick something out for him that she just nodded and watched as he petted his rays and took Shadow back to his school before disappearing around the corner. When she couldn't find him and looked out the window the yellow tang was sleeping in the crook of his arm with the rays buried in the sand at his side. Heading to his room she saw that he had already packed his things and didn't want to go through his stuff. Instead she went back to her room and found a couple things that Keri had left the last time he was there. Since Nick was nearly identical in height and they both had broad shoulders, a trait of the males of his line, she grabbed a pair of his jeans and a t-shirt. She didn't know much about men’s fashion these days but Keri always dressed nice so she hoped this would be okay. 

She was tired and a little cranky this morning, any doubt she had about her attraction to Nick had been blown out of the water last night. After he had told her about the dreams he had little things had starting making sense. The minute she had seen him at the swim meet she had known no matter what she wouldn't be able to kill him. That was one reason she had sent Lorenzo back to the palace, she was never sure where Galen's loyalties lied, so getting him out of there had been a must. Over the last two days Nick was slipping into her thoughts more and more and that was something she wasn't ready to face yet. And last nights dreams of swimming and making love in the waves had been enough to keep her tossing and turning most of the night. 

Nick was waiting in the dry room, as he called it, when she stepped in to give him the clothes. He didn't say anything about them not being his until a few minutes later when he stepped out. Serina was surprised to see that Nick was a little bigger then Keri, the jeans fit perfectly but the shirt was a little tight and showed off the muscles of his chest beautifully. The dark color brought out the deep green gold of his eyes and she found herself just standing there looking at him. 

"Um I don't think these are mine?" he said drying his hair off.

Unnerved by the sudden heat that filled her body she sputtered. "No they're not yours. I didn't feel right going through your bags so I grabbed a few of you uncles clothes that he left here." where was the breeze that was normally blowing she thought to herself.

"My Uncle?" It had been just him and his mom for so long it felt weird having relatives he had never even met and wondered if they would even want to know him when they found out he was alive. "He's been here?"

"Sure, Keri works for the Olympic committee but he also owns shares of DST too, so he comes here for meetings every couple months. I have to say you look really good in them, much better then Keri." Nick looked at her and she stared at him. They would have stayed there looking at each other except Dora took that moment to holler out asking if they were leaving or not. Serina turned around saying she'd get something for him to eat while he grabbed his bags but Dora hollered for him to leave them she'd bring them to his house after school and they had to go or they were going to be late. Nick tossed the towel on a patio chair and raced after Serina only to find Dora sitting in the back seat with everyone's book bags. The whole way to the school he kept apologizing to them while they kept saying it was fine, that they understood how much the water meant to him. Nick said that since he didn't know when he would be able to go back he had just wanted to swim with them one more time.

"What do you mean you don't know when, you're welcome to come any time you want. Plus we still have a lot of training to go through on the weekends." Serina told them.

"That's easier said then done. I'm sure you guys realize that mom and I don't have much and it's not like the buses run in your area."

"Don't worry about it Nick. You're one of us now, that comes with a few perks." Dora told said from the back seat.

Looking over his shoulder at her. "Thanks Dora, but I think if I get anymore perks I might just faint. This whole weekend was like a dream come to life."

"Not the swimming and talking to fish part. I mean the money part." Swatting at his hand. "Each one of us is entitled to a portion of the Antarian trust, even I do. I know you have to be careful but were talking a million dollar trust for each of us."

Nick shook his head for a second, "Could you please repeat that? I think I still have water in my ears." laughing in shock.

Serina laughed at him, "Nick we have to hide from the rest of the world and you can't do that without money. The Antarian Trust was set up centuries ago for those of us that live or work on land. My cousin Narrissa runs it out of the South Atlantic House off of Argentina, in fact her wife Clara runs the South American branch of DST. I have to think about what to tell her but I'll call her and have the money transferred into an account for you." pulling in to the school parking lot a full two minutes before the first bell Nick just stared at her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Serina makes a decision about Nick then calls in backup to help train him.
> 
> Nick tells his mom about swimming with Serina.
> 
> Dora gets upset with her parents.

Chapter 4

Getting out and grabbing their book bags from Dora they set off for their classrooms. Nick was glad they were so late, it meant that his friends didn't have time to do much more than stare at them as they went by. Serina stopped at his classroom door long enough to tell him she'd see him at lunch before heading across the hall. For some reason Nick felt like laughing at the image of her sitting behind a desk when she had the education to be teaching it.

Scott came up behind Nick as he sat down "What the hell happened to you? I called your house and mom said you were staying with friends for the weekend and then you show up with those two this morning looking like... I don't know man there is definitely something different about you."

Mako leaned over, "Just tell me what side of who's bed did you wake up in? Or did the three of you share." raising his eyebrows. 

Nick leaned over and punched Mako in the arm. He was surprised when he and the desk moved a little. "Enough you two, they're my friends that's all."

Mako rubbed his arm. "Damn man what are you benching these days." lifting his shirt sleeve to see a red mark already forming. "I'm gonna have a bruise you know." 

Nick looked at his hand then Mako. "Sorry man I didn't mean to hit ya that hard. Just leave Serina and Dora alone, they're almost family to me okay." seeing Mako still rubbing his arm. "You want some ice for that?" feeling bad. Serina had said that he would be stronger then he had been but he hadn't believed it would make that much of a difference. To him it felt like he had just tapped his friend.

"Damn boy, what is going on with you?" Scott asked but the teacher started roll call saving Nick from answering. 

Nick had been focusing so much on learning who he really was that he hadn't thought about what those changes would mean. He felt bad that he had hurt Mako who despite his fun loving demeanor was a marshmallow at his core. Now he had to worry about acting natural with his friends instead of blurting out the fact that he had gotten to swim in the ocean or at least a part of it. Serina had told him that he would be able to hear the thoughts of people if he wanted to but had asked him to wait until she was with him to try. By third period, his first with Serina, he had noticed that several of the girls in his classes kept staring at him. When the teacher turned back to the blackboard he looked at Serina. "Can I ask you a question?" mentally.

Serina smiled, "Of course Nick." pretending to read her book.

"Did I change looks or something? Because half the girls in this room are looking at me like I'm fat free chocolate?" He was serious but Serina couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh Nick," rolling her eyes. "haven't you ever noticed them looking at you before. Go ahead and try to read a few, you might find their thoughts entertaining." all she could think was that human girls were nothing but sluts. Half the things they wanted to do to him were making her blush. She watched Nick's face as he looked at one of the girls, a second later he looked back at her his eyes raised then turned to another girl in the classroom. Serina laughed when Nick turned red and started to choke. Mrs Lewis turned and asked if he was okay causing every student to look at him. Nick just waved his hand saying sorry that he was fine he just swallowed wrong holding up a water bottle. Mrs Lewis just told him to be more careful then turned back to the board.

"You know I think I liked it better when I couldn't read minds." Nick told her trying it mentally. "I feel like I should put on a sweatshirt or something. Shit I never.." shaking his head.

Serina almost agreed, "Nick you were already a very handsome man and accessing your gifts only enhances that. That and I have to admit Keri's clothes look fantastic on you." He didn't miss the look she gave him as he turned to listen to Mrs Lewis. He thought his friends were bad the way they talked about girls when it was just the guys but damn if they knew what the girls were thinking nobody would ever come to school. 

By lunch time Nick was ready for a break, between his friends wanting to know what he was up to and girls he'd known for years coming up and giving him their numbers asking him to call them sometime he was ready to call it a day. "This is ridicules," showing them a stack of phone numbers. "I've known most of them for years, what exactly changed when..."

Dora grinned when she answered for him. "When you changed. It's the electromagnetic energy, we all have it." Waving at a boy across the patio who blushed and looked away. They had decided to eat outside away from everyone or they had tried. They were sitting on the back steps of a portable but Nick was still glad he had learned how to project the wall otherwise his friends would be bombarding them. He knew he had to talk to them eventually but just wanted a little more time to figure out what to tell them.

"That plus the entire female student body here are a bunch of horny teenagers. God my college sorority sisters weren't this bad." Serina mumbled louder then she intended

Dora laughed. "It was the late 50's Rina. Donna Reed was the ideal woman and sex wasn't even talked about in public. I still want to know how Lucy and Desi had little Ricky when they had two twin beds with a night stand between them.” Serina rolled her eyes as Nick laughed. “Now a days sex is in commercials and cartoons." shrugging.

Serina looked at her. "I don't care! The way they've been looking at him is enough to make a porn star blush and have you read some of their thoughts. I'd kill them if I thought they were serious." Giving a persistent red head an I'll kill you if you come any closer look. Dora looked at her and she heard her ask, "What is up with you?" in her head. She just shrugged telling her. "I don't want to talk about it right now." looking at Nick. "How are you doing Nick?" touching his arm.

"I don't know, it's just weird. Don't get me wrong I've always had girls coming up to me because of the swimming thing but this... is little embarrassing. Like this, " holding up a sheet of paper. "Honor and I were in forth grade together and I happen to know she has a boyfriend." crumpling up several sheets and tossing them in the trash can. "How do I stop this?" 

"Unfortunately you can't. It's just who we are, you can't help it if you’re attractive to Landers. Have you figured out what you want to tell your friends? " Serina said pushing another blonde away so forcefully she tripped over a trash can.

"Not a clue, I can't tell them the truth that's for sure. I don't really feel like spending a few years in the nut house. Any suggestions, I mean you guys have been doing this for a while, what do you do?"

"I don't fight it." Dora told him. "I just tell girls I'm a mermaid and ask what they want for breakfast." Grinning.

Serina slapped her head then turned to Nick. "Dora's famous for her extracurricular activities. Most of us don't even start dating until our fifties but she started as soon as she turned seventeen."

"I just like to have fun. Besides it helps that when they ask me to prove it I don't fish out as you say. My anomaly is good for that at least." she was smiling but Nick felt a sharp pain in his chest and knew that she was hurting because of it.

"I have to come up with something though. Coach wants to see me before I catch my bus. Apparently the college called to find out why I turned down the scholarship. He was pretty upset with me in gym this morning and now with everybody watching me." taking a deep breath he mentally told Scott he needed to go to the bathroom when he headed they're way before he added. "Ya know, this whole time I wanted to learn who I was and why I never felt like I fit in with everybody. I never considered that finding out the truth would make me more of an outsider. I don't fit in here and my own people want me dead. So what do you think I should tell people?" For the first time the weight of realizing that the world was a much bigger place then most people knew was on his back.

Serina stood up and wrapped her arms around him. "It's going to be alright Nick." not caring that Dora was watching with her mouth hanging open. She had never seen Serina try and comfort someone before. She was more of a do this and stop worrying type of person. "I wish I could fix all this for you but I can promise that I'll be here no matter what." Serina told him as she rubbed his back and hugged him.

Dora looked around the yard and saw that she wasn't the only one watching the two, half the people outside were watching them. She wasn't that great with animals but she had no trouble reading humans and she knew they were curious about Nick as well as the two of them. They felt that she and Serina didn't belong there, this was a public school and they were both obviously rich, plus Serina’s action with her first teacher had put her on the schools radar. 

On the other hand she felt jealousy from the girls and the guys. The girls had been trying to get Nick to notice them for years and had finally decided he was gay and that he just didn't want people to know. Dora had to grin at that, most male Antarians didn't even hit puberty until they turned twenty so that wasn't even an issue. From the guys they were jealous of Nick's athletic abilities and the fact that most of the girls in the school thought he was 'so hot'. The fact he didn't go after every girl was one reason they liked him but now they were interested in Serina and for the first time Nick had beat them to it. Dora was used to being stared at by guys and girls and it never bothered her but this was strangely different.

Nick wasn't used to hugging anyone but his mom but holding on to Serina just felt right and he didn't know why. Leaning back he looked her in the eyes and smiled. "Sorry just feeling sorry for myself. Do me a favor and don't tell Jewel she'll never let me live it down."

Serina laughed and brushed the hair out of his eyes wondering why he liked it longer then normal but she couldn't complain she like it this way too. "I won't tell her I promise." not wanting to let go of him she stepped closer so she could feel his legs against hers. "I don't know what you want to tell people but sometimes sticking close to the truth helps. Tell them you found out some things about your dad and that you're not even sure if you'll be here when school starts next year. That you might take a year off so you can get to know your father's relatives that live in the Bahamas."

Nick smiled, "Ya know that might work. I don't know what I'll do without you once this all gets settled." moving his arms lower until they were resting in the small of her back. He had held her like this so many times in his dreams but this was so much better. Serina reached out again and touched his cheek and it took all his will power not to take her hand and kiss the palm.

"Who says you'll lose me." she said grinning.

Dora knew she was imitating a gold fish as she watched them knowing they had forgotten she was there. It wasn't until she heard the first bell that she broke them up and left with Nick to go to their next class while Serina was headed to gym. Today she didn't mind running around hitting a stupid ball with a racket, she was too worked up over touching Nick. She was going to have to talk to someone about it and soon. The whole mate thing was new to her and for the first time she wasn't in control of her emotions. When the red head from lunch made a move to steal her ball she may have used a little too much force but seeing the girl in question being helped to the nurses office was very satisfying even if they were all looking at her. Serina just raised her racket saying it was an accident, even she had to admit it didn't sound sincere.

The last class of the day Nick had by himself without either girl and that was when three of his team mates cornered him. News of him and Serina at lunch had went around school like a wild fire and they wanted details. Josh, Scott and Benny wouldn't leave him alone and he didn't dare tell them to back off knowing they might leave class and get in trouble. He told them that yes he spent the weekend at their house getting to know them. Josh spilled the fact that their parents were out of town, at least that's what Dora had told his sister. Lena was a year younger then him and Josh was very protective of her and wanted to know more about Dora.

"I don't know what you guys want me to say or what you're bitching about. Serina and I are friends and Dora's a sweet genital soul and if you want my opinion I think she really likes Lena." Nick told them. They were in auto shop and he had no where to run since they were all in the same group.

Benny looked at him from under the car while Nick was helping to hook up part of the engine. "Look I agree that they seem cool but you got to admit they don't really fit the everyday high school image. Serina acts like she's a lot older and half the pot club swear they're Narc's."

Nick laughed. "No Benny, they're not cops." grabbing another wrench. "They just moved and Serina told me she's just used to wearing school uniforms."

Josh pushed Nick out of the way and connected a couple hoses then looked at him. "And what's with the black clothes and don't think I didn't notice the name on them. Those are Cavalli dude! My moms a buyer for Macy's I know what's expensive and what's not and those are."

Nick didn't know one pair of jeans from another and shrugged. "They're my Uncles alright."

Scott poked his head out of the car where he had been installing a new ignition switch. "You have an uncle now?"

Not really sure how to explain. "Look guys I know you're curious and believe me so am I. I spent the last 18 years wondering about my Dad's family, now the girls show up and I'm trying to process a lot of information. I found out that my dad and his family had a huge falling out after he married my mom. They are really well off and they thought he married beneath him or something like that. They sort of disowned him and that's why I didn't even know I had family on his side. I'm just now getting to hear about them so when I get a chance to meet them I can tell you a lot more, until then just give me a break okay. I'm not even sure I'm even gonna stay here after graduation."

Scott got out this time. "What do you mean man? What about your scholarship?"

Nick sighed, "I turned it down, I'm not going to college next year. At least not here and before you start thinking it's because of Serina, I did that before I even knew they were here."

"It's just weird man." Josh said. "You've worked your ass off for that scholarship. Then they show up and you're leaving black and blue marks on Mako and turning down things you've talked about for years. There has to be something more to it."

Throwing his hands in the air. "Okay fine you caught me. They actually came to town with orders to kill me because my long lost father was an alien and so am I"

Benny looked at him through the car. "Dude you need to stop watching the sci-fi channel." making everyone laugh and Nick roll his eyes

Scott slapped him on the back. "If you're skipping college you should try writing fiction."

Josh shook his head. "You'd say something if you were in trouble right?" Nick just nodded. "Fine I'll drop it, for now. Just tell me one thing, is Lena safe with Dora?"

"I think I got to know her over the weekend pretty good. I can promise you that Lena is absolutely safe with her. And Dora's parents know she's gay and they don't care either." Josh and Lena's parents were on every equal rights committee in town and were completely accepting of everyone. Nick laughed for a second wondering if that would include him now.

The bell rang and everyone started heading to their cars or buses. Serina and Dora were waiting for him outside the gym. "What are you guys doing here?"

Dora answered first "Well I thought that if your coach gives you a hard time you might miss your bus so I.."

"We're here just in case." Serina said stepping close to Nick. "I got to thinking that you may need more of a explanation for him then you gave your friends." Handing him a folder. "I printed these from the library. It's called shallow water black out. It'll give an explanation as to why you blacked out after the meet and you can say you were getting tests done last week when you were out. If he needs a doctors note I have a few people I can call." She told him grinning. "It'll explain everything for him, even your giving up the scholarship. Tell him you’re fine but that your doctors are planning on running some more tests over the summer."

Nick didn't think he just kissed her quickly. "Thank you, this is perfect." taking the folder. "Are you going to wait here?"

"We'll be waiting? " Serina said as he headed inside.

"What is going on with you?" Dora asked her.

Serina watched the doors close and open for other students as she and Dora sat down on one of the few benches outside. "Everything is fi.."

"Who are you trying to kid Rina? I've known you forever, I can tell something is different. You practically sizzle every time Nick touches you." Dora had known Serina since she was three years old and had never seen her act like this.

Serina sighed, "This is ridicules!" looking at her friend. "There are at least ten thousand problems."

"But? " Dora wanted to know.

"I like him Dora. I've been dreaming about him since the day I saw him at the meet." admitting.

Dora's eyebrows touched her forehead. "Dreaming! You mean like... As in... Oh my God." covering her mouth to keep from screaming.

"I thinks so," rolling her eyes. "This is so complicated. Nick is so young and I'm... and my father. Oh god my father will have a coronary." bending over and putting her hands on her head.

"Maybe this is a good thing, if the old man croaks you won't have to worry about taking over." Serina just cocked her head and looked at her. "I know he's your father and you love him but you know what needs to be done. If Nick is what I think he is to you then I'm sorry but you're gonna have to choose a side."

"I'm not choosing," sitting up straight. "I'm hoping to convince Titus to accept Nick. Once he sees what Nick can do how can he claim he's not one of us. We have laws about people with gifts."

Dora snorted loud enough that a couple of students turned to look at her. Whatever sound she made it was always lyrical and caught others attention. "Come on, when was the last time the crazy ol..." seeing Serina look at her again. "When was the last time he changed his mind on anything? Every year it's getting worse, you said he's started limiting the amount of people and time that can come on land. Serina I don't want to upset you, I don't, but..." taking her hand. 

"I know that, I keep thinking things will change. He wasn't always like this, something changed when my mom died. I wish I knew what to do to help him." she had tried to talk to him for years but he always refused and would only get angry when she persisted. When she had bargained for Dora's family's lives she had agreed to stop questioning him as part of their agreement. "What am I going to do Dora? I can't tell Nick and I can't be away from him either. I never understood the connection between mates, now every time he touches me I feel like I'm on fire. I just want to jump him."

"Jump who? " Nick asked coming up behind them.

"Thunder!" Serina said fast. "Thunder, he's my pet dolphin. I was just telling Dora how much I miss playing with him." Dora was trying her best not to laugh and failing miserably. "You know jump on his back and go swimming. So what did your coach say? "

"He's depressed.” He laughed. “I had to promise keep in touch with him and let him know what the doctors find. I gave him the paperwork so..." looking up he saw the last bus pull out of the lot. "I'm glad you stayed. I think I need that ride."

Dora jumped up and hugged him. "No problem that's what families do right and you are most definitely part of the family now."

Nick called his mom and found out she wouldn't be home until around six so he road back to the house to get his things. Dora was happy to see her parents were home and rushed in to see them. "You'll have to forgive her." Serina laughed. "She doesn’t spend a lot of time away from them."

"It's fine trust me I get it, when I get home my mom is going to be a lot worse then that." he said.

Serina laughed. "So do you want to meet them or?" letting that hang in the air.

Nick couldn't help it he smiled. "Still treating me like a child." Shaking his head then taking her hand. "Come on, introduce me to your pretend parents."

Dora's parents weren't anything like he expected, for one thing they didn't look old enough to have a daughter her age. If he hadn't known better he would have sworn her mother was her older sister and in her mid to late twenties. When he told them that they laughed saying that after reaching their maturity their metabolism slowed down and they aged at a much slower rate. Neo had came forward to shake hands with him as Dora introduced them to Nick. Nick thought it was funny the way they kept looking at Serina, he knew they worked for her but he had a feeling that it was more then that. Considering why Serina was here he had expected them to be a little more leery of him but Mariana and Neo had been very gracious. Completely welcoming, they were more curious about him and how he was handling his new reality. They let him know they were happy to talk to him about anything he wanted and when Neo offered to help him with his bag he also told Nick he would be happy to meet sometime to talk about the Antarian Birds and Bees making Nick laugh. He told Neo that he now understood where Dora got her sense of humor from and thanked him, saying he would definitely like that and soon.

Serina drove him home not long after that and he still made it before his mom did. Serina had left and he was standing on the deck when his mother came in carrying take-out bags. She saw Nick standing outside looking out at the ocean and went out to him but when he turned around she stopped. He looked the same but there was now an aura about him, the same as his father had, that stunned her. A strength that hadn't been there before. Mary had called it an other worldly glow to Leo and he had laughed, now she saw it in their son. 

Nick didn't understand why his mother was staring at him and wondered if he had something in his teeth. "Are you okay mom?" he asked. "Is something wrong?" he had expected her to jump all over him since that had been the biggest weekend of his entire life and was worried about why she wasn't.

"What?" she said snapping out of her thoughts. "Oh Honey no, it's just... you look so much like your father that for a minute I...." running to him for a hug. "Are you alright?" she asked him. "You look so wonderful, did everything go... well." making Nick laugh.

"It was unreal mom." taking her hand and going inside. "I feel like I'm whole for the first time in my life. I know who I am and like it." rolling his eyes. "It's also scary as hell."

Mary saw him grin and that was it, she knew that no matter what he would always be her little boy. She grabbed the bags of barbecue and they sat down to eat while Nick described how it felt swimming in the cavern. He told her about Jewel and Pierce and that Serina said he had the same ability that his father had, and possibly even stronger, which allowed him to bond with them. She thought it was like listening to a kid talking about Christmas morning. He told her about the telepathy but she had already known that and he was surprised to learn that he could talk to his mother like that too. Although she warned him not to go snooping around in her head or even though he was eighteen she'd still ground him for a week. It felt good talking to her about this and Mary was glad that he was doing so well. She told him she was sorry that she had waited so long to tell him and that she felt guilty for keeping him away from the ocean for so many years.

"It's okay mom, I get it, you were protecting me. I don't regret anything, you gave me a normal childhood and for that I'll always be grateful." he told her before heading up to bed. Opening his windows he could hear the waves crashing against the sand and he felt a vibration from the water calling to him but he knew he couldn't go to it. Unlike Serina's cavern there would be no way for him to get out and dry off here without somebody seeing him. He swore he could hear the fish calling to him and as he fell asleep he hoped he dreamed about swimming with them again.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As soon as Serina got back to her house she called her cousin Drake before even going inside. He may be the head of the South Pacific House but he was her favorite relative. He was her fathers youngest sisters son and ran the Hawaii branch of DST so technically he worked for her. 

Drake answered the phone on the second ring. "Mahalo little cousin, so what horribly boring paperwork do you need me to do now." looking out at the waves surfboard in hand. "The waves are cresting at six foot hoahanau." which meant cousin in Hawaiian. "I got beer and a board, so make it quick."

Serina smiled into the phone picturing her six foot cousin in flip flops, swim trunks, and one of the horrible flowered shirts he loved. He was one of the few that could control the shift even in the ocean so he usually spent his lunch hour catching a wave or two with the rest of the beach bums. "I need your help cousin. I met my mate and my fathers trying to kill him." 

Spitting out the beer he had been drinking, a non-alcoholic one of his own brand, and started choking. "You what?.... You care to repeat that one more time." dropping onto the sand next to his board. "I know I didn't just hear what I thought I heard."

"You heard me Drake. How fast can you get here? I'm at the house in Long Beach." she trusted Drake but this was far more important then anything she had ever asked of him before. "Please cousin, I need your help."

Hearing her begging was the worst thing he had ever heard. "I'll be there by midnight. Hold tight cuz I'm on my way." hanging up and dialing his pilot. "Hey Akoni get the plane ready. I wanna be in the air in the 30 minutes." hanging up he jumped to his feet. "This I got see!" he said to himself as he strapped the board to his jeep and headed for the airstrip.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Is everything alright your highness? " Mariana asked when Serina walked in the door.

Serina looked at her friend. "No, nothing is alright, and Mariana please I've tried for years to ask you to stop calling me that. Now I am telling you," looking at her. "I am not my fathers daughter, not anymore." she heard a gasp and saw Neo and Dora come in from the kitchen. 

Dora was the one who gasp, "Serina what are you saying? "

Serina had been thinking ever since dropping off Nick, "That you were right. The only way to keep Nick safe, to keep everyone safe, is going to be by stopping Titus. You were right Mariana, I've been deluding myself my whole life hoping he would change."

Neo step forward, "Why now your highn.." stopping at her look.

"Because Nicholas is my mate," she heard Mariana's 'Oh my god' but ignored her. "I will not let anything happen to him, even if that means taking the throne." stepping into the room farther. "I've called Drake, he'll be arriving around midnight so I need his rooms opened." Mariana nodded. "Neo I need you to start inquires through the company, see if you can discreetly find out who would be willing to stand with us."

Dora stepped forward, "What do you want me to do Rina? "

Serina smiled at her, "You have the toughest job of all. I need you to stay here. It's time you get a say in our world and I need your help to keep Nick safe until this is finished."

Dora, "Are you kidding me?" she was just getting used to being around Nick now they wanted her in full Antarian mode.

"No, I think I need you to keep me sane and, trust me, Drake is good starting point. He and your father have been friends since they were kids." taking a deep breath she looked at them. "I don't know what's going to happen, I may be signing our death warrants here. If you don't want to be a part of this you know I'll understand."

Mariana ran to her wrapping her arms around the younger woman. "We have always been behind you your hi... Serina." smiling at her. 

"We will follow you wherever this leads. You have been our Queen since the day you saved my family's life." Neo told her. "To see you sit on the throne would be a great pleasure."

He started to bow but she stopped him. "Queen in title only, I have no intention of holding up in the palace. This isn't going to be easy Neo, I haven't reach my hundredth year yet and my father has a history of stopping people who try to over throw him. I have to carefully think about my next move." stepping back, "I'll be in my room until Drake gets here." heading to the hallway but stopped. "I want you to know I love all of you, you've been more of a family to me them my father ever was and I just want to thank you."

"Do you want me get you when Lord Drake arrives?" Mariana asked so proud to be a witness to this.

Serina grinned, "If you don't he will. I expect he'll have a lot of questions after what I told him. Play dumb until after I talk to him please." heading for her rooms.

"Well this is new." Dora blew out after Serina left.

Neo turned to his daughter, "Did you know about Nick, is that why you told us to be nice?" seeing Dora nod.

"He's her mate, I'm so happy for her." Mariana smiled then looked at her husband, "This is going to be dangerous though."

"You've been trying to get her to overthrow her father for years, now you think it's going to be dangerous." throwing up her arms Dora stared at her mother. 

Neo nodded, "Dora you don't know how things work. "

"Yeah and who's fault is that." looking at her parents. "Just because I'm banned from going there doesn't mean I shouldn't know my families history."

Mariana touched her arm, shocked at her out burst. "Honey you're right..."

"We thought it would be better that you didn't know." Neo said.

"Because I would never see it. Is that why you won't even let me meet the rest of my family?" she had never understood why they kept from talking about things with her. "I know you want to protect me but I'm not a child. I'm going to fight for Serina and I need to know what we're up against. "

Neo looked at his wife then looked at Dora, "You're right, but not tonight." patting her shoulder. "We have company coming and there's no telling how Lord Drake is going to respond to this bit of news."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Serina heard the knocking on her door and sat up realizing she had fallen asleep at her desk after talking to her brother Nix. "Come in." at the next knock.

Mariana stuck her head in the door. "Neo went to get Lord Drake, he called and said they would be back in about twenty minutes. I also finished getting his rooms ready." 

"Thank you Mariana," getting up and stretching. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the two rays swimming by the window and knew they were looking for Nick. "I don't know what to do next." admitting to her friend.

"Your... Serina," stepping into the room and closing the door. "I know this is hard for you, but by rights you were born the queen. It was never a choice, it is your birthright."

"I know," hanging her head for a second. "Nick doesn't know about any of this and I don't want him finding out from anyone but me. "

"It will be our secret then." taking her hand. "You're so lucky Serina, don't let your father take him from you. Having a mate is the greatest joy in the world. I wouldn't trade Neo for any man on earth."

Serina smiled slyly. "If this is just the beginning then god help him when we actually do mate. I'm liable to kill him." making Mariana laugh.

"I'll let you get ready. Do you want to come up or..."

"Send Drake down here. I don't know how he's going to take this and at least down here I can push him in the cavern if he pisses he off. Or I can have Jewel or Pierce go after him." Mariana raised her eyebrow in curiosity. "The two rays," pointing to the window where they were still looking in. "Nick's a shark caller like his father, they're looking for him." walking to the glass she put a hand to it. "He'll be here after school tomorrow little ones." she tried to tell them adding a little push to it. The female, Jewel she thought, tapped the glass with her fin twice and swam off leaving Pierce to follow her. Serina wasn't positive but she thought she had gotten through to her. "Those two are going to be worse then puppies for him."

Mariana watched Serina, she should have guessed at the connection between them sooner. There was a softness to Serina now as well as a more determined attitude. "I remember Leo was quite a handful when he was younger, always bringing one predator or another in to the playgroups."

Serina turned back to her, "That's right! I forgot you knew Leo didn't you."

"For a few years yes, I was one of his teachers. Trust me he was a handful, Nick seemed much calmer to me." Smiling at the way Serina's face lit up when she said Nick's name.

"He is, he's.." hearing Dora call out, "they're here!" 

"I'd better go tell him where you are. Are you sure you don't want one of us here with you? " she asked.

Serina smiled. "I'll be fine." Mariana left and Serina started to pace. She wasn't as sure as she pretended. Drake loved her, she knew that, but what she was planning, to go against the king, might be too much even for him. Even though they didn't get along that well he was still Titus's nephew after all.

Mariana walked into the living room just as Neo and Drake walked in the front door. She nearly had a heart attack when Drake rushed her picking her up and swinging her around. "Mariana my love when are you going to leave this stick in the mud and run away with me." 

"Put me down," swatting his arm. It had been so long since she had seen him but he was just the same as she remembered. "I swear you'll never grow up, besides if I said yes what would all your girlfriends say." making Drake laugh as he kissed her cheek.

Neo had to laugh at the expression on Mari's face. Drake had walked right through Titus's orders and never once turned his back on them. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, drop my mate Romeo." Drake and Neo had grown up together, having been born only a year apart. Neo's father had been the head of Palace Security then and had been friends with Drake's father Calder who had married Titus's youngest sister. That position had been striped from his father after Neo's banishment but Serina had hired him the same day she had saved his family. Now he ran security for all of DST's offices but even with their support Neo had kept Dora away from them not wanting to cause trouble for his family and friends that were still under water. "From what I hear you have half the interns fighting to see who gets to go home with you."

"True, but none have ever compared to the shining light you managed to con into marring you." kissing her hand as he sat her down. "It's been way to long Mari, every time I come you and Cleodora are off running around some where. If Neo's driving you mad you can always come home with me." wiggling his eyebrows.

"Lord Drake you should know better then to tease Neo." she laughed as her husband rolled his eyes. The two of them had always been like this. "I seem to recall the last time he zapped you, you landed on your rear end in front of half the royal court." smiling at their old friend.

Drake rubbed said body part as he looked at Neo. "I was just letting him look good in front of his mate." hugging her again then turned to Neo still keeping his arm around Mariana. "He's been tight lipped since I got off the plane. Would you like to explain why I had to hop on a plane instead of a board." Suddenly looking to his left when he heard a crash. Drake saw a young girl bending down to pick up pieces of what looked like a vase

Mariana rushed over to help. "Honey look out, you don't need to cut yourself."

Dora looked at her mother, she knew she should have stayed hidden but her curiosity had gotten the best of her and she had wanted to see what the new Antarian looked like. Unfortunately the table she was leaning on tipped sending the vase to the floor. "I'm sorry mom I didn't mean to spy on you."

"Cleodora?" Drake asked and Neo nodded his head. Drake smiled as he walked over to the girl. "My god you're all grown up. You look   
so much like your mother and just as beautiful." He had often wondered about his friends child but Neo had been determined to protect her from all of their kind, including him.

Dora looked at her mom then her dad before standing up and swallowing hard. "Thank you my Lord." bowing like her parents had taught her. Hoping he didn't hear the fear in her voice.

"My Lord?" turning to his old friend. "Seriously? What did you tell her?" when Neo just shrugged he looked at Mariana. "You too? How many times have I told you I don't give a damn what High King Tightass said." seeing their daughters eyebrows touch her forehead, he'd bet she had never heard the King referred to in such a way. Very gently he took both of Dora's hands and just held them. "Cleodora I am so sorry that it's taken us this long to finely meet again." laughing, "The last time I held you, you wouldn’t stop crying because I put your diaper on wrong." she turned pink at that news. "You and your family have done nothing wrong and on behalf of all modern Antarians please forgive our lack of interference. If that damn volcano hadn't erupted I would have been there to stop my Uncle from turning you out. At the very least you could have been living on Maui letting your Uncle Drake teach you how to surf."

Dora couldn't believe that another member of the royal house was actually talking to her let alone apologizing. "That's okay, I've been known to duck dive occasionally." 

Drake laughed and pulled her in for a hug then to her surprise he picked her up like she had seen him do to her mother before setting her down. "Thank god some of my good taste rubbed off on somebody." going over and slapping Neo on the back. "You taught her didn't you, didn't he?" looking at Dora.

"When I was ten." she admitted. Smiling feeling much calmer now.

"Finally someone to hang loose with. I can't believe you kept my 'ohana keiki (niece) away from me." looking at Mariana. "Did they even tell you that I'm your godfather?"

Dora crossed her arms in a fit, "No, they didn't."

Neo wrapped an arm around his wife. "We were protecting our child Drake."

"And you," Mariana spoke up. "Do you have any idea how much all of you meant to us, that you were willing to defy the king." shaking her head. "Even our families have never seen Dora."

"For god sake's why? " Drake asked heart broken on the girls behalf. "Willen was down for a security conference and asked me," pointing at his chest, "me, how you guys were doing."

"I haven't talked to my father in years." Neo looked embarrassed when he answered. "I guess we may have gone a little over board." 

Dora looked at her parents like they had just grown two heads each. "You have got to be kidding me! For the last fifty years I thought it was my fault that you didn't get to see your families. Now two minutes after he shows up you admit you pushed them away." turning to Drake. "You know what when you leave I just may go with you. That is if we all live through this." throwing her hands in the air as she turned around in a circle then pointing at her parents. "We seriously need to sit down and have a very long family discussion about protecting me from my own family. I've never even met my grandparents because I thought they were ashamed of me." surprised to see her parents looked stunned either from the statement or that she raised her voice to them. "Serina's is in her rooms Uncle Drake," giving him a quick peck on the cheek, "and I'm sure she's anxious to talk to you. Then if you're still here tomorrow I would love to sit down and talk about over protective parents." turning she left the room muttering to herself.

Neo looked over at Drake who was biting his lip to keep from laughing. "Not one word." he told his old friend.

"Um huh," grinning. "So um... I think you're in trouble." busting out laughing.

Mariana was still looking at the hallway her daughter had disappeared down. "I can't believe... I tried to teach her manners I did." shaking her head. "Drake don't blame Neo, I'm the one that panicked. I just couldn't bare to see anyone else we loved getting into trouble because of us." With everything that was happening she thought that it was maybe time to call her parents and sisters. Her whole family had moved to New Orleans from Greece not long after she and Neo were banished. Her mother wrote every Christmas, sending it to Serina, trying to get them to come visit or at least let them know where they were so they could come to them. It was the thought of her family being hurt because of her that had kept her from reaching out.

"I know that Mari and I understand, besides I think having such a spirited child is repayment enough. You did good, both of you." he saw them relax, he hadn't realized how worried they were about her meeting others. "But I still intend to tell her how you two got caught by the royal guard in the kelp bed." turning he headed for the staircase.

Mariana's eyes got big, "Don’t you dare!" following him down the hallway that led to Serina's room while Neo just stood back and laughed. "Drake you come back here, I mean it. Don't you dare start telling Dora stories...."

She was still begging when he knocked on Serina’s door. "Turn about is fair play. I've got too many years to make up with her now that she not just a figment of my imagination anymore." kissing Mariana's nose, "We'll catch up later kuuipo. (Sweetheart in Hawaiian)" Stepping in and closing the door before she could say anything else.

"Let me guess Dora likes you and is now pissed at her parents." Serina said coming around the corner. She stopped when she saw Drake and laughed. "Did you even bother to change?" He still had sand in his flip flops and a vintage Hawaiian shirt on that even Magnum PI would be proud of.

Coming over he grabbed her in a tight hug then stepping back. "You call and tell me your father's trying to kill your mate and you expect me to go home and pack. Dudette my board is still on the plane." taking her hand and dragging her to the couch. "Now explain!"

Serina had to smile, "You know this is why you're my favorite cousin. No matter what I say you just go with it."

Drake tweaked her nose, "Serina!"

Sitting back so she could look at him. "Before I tell you I have to ask you something."

"You never stall, what's going on Seri? " she was actually starting to scare him.

"Would stand against the king if I asked you too?" 

"Seri if it would get Uncle Tightass off the throne I'd stand on my head." making her laugh.

Serina rolled her eyes, "I'm serious Drake."

"So am I! I've been saying it for years, your father has lost all reason. If we're not careful he's going to get us all killed." he told her taking her hand. "This started long before your mother and brother died."

Serina stood up and walked to her bar to get two empty glasses and a bottle of water. "Then there's something I need to show you." he just looked at her as she sat the glass down and poured the water into one. "Only three other people in the world know this about me." she watched as his eyes got big as she raised one hand and the water in the one glass rose out to float in mid air before pouring into the empty glass.

"Seri?" in awe of what he was seeing as the water rose again and started rolling in the air in different shapes then split and filled each glass. "Holy fucking hell! You're a water master." moving to the edge of his seat to look at her.

"I should have told you, but when I realized I could do this..." waving her hand again this time the water rose and started spinning faster and faster until steam started coming off it. Within a few seconds the water was gone. "Drake are you alright?" when he just stared at the empty space.

"I'm fine, I just..." Trying to find the right words he laughed. "Holy shit!" loud enough she was sure the others heard him. "You're a freakin water master." jumping off the couch. "Holy crap I never thought... I thought it was a myth." starting to pace. "Your Dad doesn't know does he." looking at her then he held up his hand and waved her off. "Of course not if he knew he would have found a way to get rid of you." 

"He's not that bad. " she said.

"Give me a break." Drake just laughed, "Who are you trying to kid? I was there Seri, when Ligan tried to over throw him."

"His brother was jealous and wanted the throne." she argued.

Shaking his head. "That's your father talking. Did you ever wonder why I was raised in the palace Seri? Titus hunted down every person he even suspected of talking to Ligan about him and had them arrested, my father included. I may have been only twenty-two at the time but I remember the look on your fathers face as he butchered ten of his brothers and sisters. They did nothing but question why he wanted to pull everyone off land, that's all it was."

"That's not the way he tells it." she said looking at him. Why hadn't she asked him about this sooner she thought.

"Of course not. Seri, when you're around he's different. It's like he doesn't want you to see that side of him. The monster he's turning into." 

Serina didn't believe that. "I've seen him at his worst remember. I was there when he ordered Leo's execution."

He turned to her. "One of your best friends, and what else did your father make you do."

Serina turned away, "It doesn't matter anymore."

"What else Serina?" Trying to get her to understand how dangerous Titus was. 

Serina closed her eyes trying to block out the images that came to mind. "Drake don't please. You know what Leo's death did to me. I haven't so much as raised my voice to my father since that day. And now with Nick I don't know what to do." sitting down a second later he joined her. "Everything is so compacted."

"Nick?" Taking her hand. "Is that your boyfriends name?"

Serina looked at the dark window and wondered if the two rays were out there. Surprised at how much affection she felt for them. "He's my mate Drake, the dreams, the electricity, it all fits. That's why I have to go against my father now. I have to protect Nick."

Drake was confused. "I don't understand, why is Tightass after your mate? What is he, part of the garbage brigade?" that was considered the lowest work available at the palace and was reserved as punishment for certain crimes.

She had to smile a little at that, "No it's worse then that."

Drake sat up. "Oh man don't tell me he's a Lander. That'll give the old man a coronary for sure."

"He's definitely not a Lander," getting up and looking at her cousin asking for help was harder then she had thought it would be. 

He studied his cousin as she paced in front of the windows. "I have never seen you this nervous. Just tell me and let’s figure out what to do."

Coming back over sitting down next to him. "Nick is Leo's son," his eyes got big but he didn't say anything so she went on. "He didn't die, his mother and grandmother moved into the Midwest. Then his grandmother died and for some reason Mary moved to Long Beach but told Nick he was allergic to salt water to keep him out of the ocean."

"Okay..." Drake had to laugh at that. "Then how did the king find out?"

Serina smiled "Nick may have stayed out of the ocean but he still swims like a fish." laughing. "He's a champion swimmer for his high school. Good enough to catch the Olympic committee’s eye."

That Drake understood. "They sent Kerrigan to check him out didn't they. So he recognized his nephew and turned him in. What a prick." jumping to the wrong conclusion. The two of them may have had a difference of opinion over a few things over the years. Mostly about Drakes penchant for one night stands. One little three-way a gazillion years ago and he was forever labeled.

Slapping his arm, she wondered if they would ever tell her why they had stopped talking after Keri joined her at Harvard. "No he didn't turn him in, not at first, but his partner Lorenzo kept pressuring him to. Keri told me that it was Lorenzo that started digging into Nick's past and found all the information on his mother. When my father found out he sent me to fix things." 

"Jesus, that's just sick," leaning back he was furious with his Uncle. "He sent you to kill your friends child didn't he? What the hell is wrong with him?"

Serina couldn't help but agree, "I don't know, but it's getting worse. He's trying to send us all back to the stone age, he won't even admit that the world has changed. If not now then soon our existence won't be a secret anymore."

Drake was surprised to hear her say that. "So you think the world's ready to lean about us. That's a big step." he wasn't sure he was ready for that himself.

Serina looked at him. "Maybe not the whole world but we have enough people in high places that I think it's time to come out to the governments at least."

"Holy shit, are you serious?" blowing out a breath. "Whoa," looking at her. "Okay you're kinda blowing my mind here cuz." 

"I know but it's the only thing I can think of that will stop Titus's refusal to join the world." she had to grin at Drake. He may be over three hundred years old but he still talked like a teenager.

Not sure, "You're going to have to convince all of us, not just me." he told her. "A lot of people think Titus has the right idea about separation."

"How many of them have ever been on land... not many. The younger ones want to co-exist." hanging her head. "I called Nix after you."

Surprised Drake asked, "Did you tell him? " sitting up fast.

"Of course not." rolling her eyes at him. "I just told him that I needed him to come sign some papers for DST. He'll be here next week sometime." she saw the look he gave her. "I know what you're going to say but I can't do this on my own. I need people willing to back me."

"Serina all you have to do is show people what you can do and there won't be any question about your right to the throne. Call Aunt Astra, she can tell you what the books say. Any Antarian with the ability to control water is the rightful ruler. Even I know that and I slept through Antarian History." patting her hand.

Serina put her hand over his. "Do you really think it would be that simple? Do you know how many Aunt's and Uncle's, not to mention my brothers and sisters, that would bypass. Do you really think they won't resent me?" 

"Maybe, but that's their problem, the laws are clear on this." he still couldn't believe that she hadn't told him she was a water master. Grinning he looked at her. "Just out of curiosity the last time you came to visit me, you remember that ten foot wave I caught while you were watching... did you do that?"

"When was the last time you saw that big of a wave on a reef?" Serina laughed. "I may have helped it out a little." 

Drake hugged her and laughed too. "Damn and here I thought I was impressing you." sitting back rubbing his head. "Okay so this is really happening? What do you need me to do?"

"I knew I could count on you Hoahanau (cousin)." hugging him. "And what I need is for you to help me train Nick. Every time I get near him all I think about..."

"Is jumping his bones." getting slapped on the back of his head. "I'm just saying." laughing.

"Fine I'll admit that's a slight problem, but the main reason is that Nick is gifted. He's a Shark Master like his father, only much stronger." looking at the window she saw the rays were back. "Those two are his, they keep looking for him. I tried to tell them he'll be back tomorrow but..." shrugging.

Looking at the two rays that had been watching them on and off since he had gotten there, reaching out he touched the glass and one of them came over to his hand. He wasn't a master but Drake was still able to connect with the male enough to let them know Nick wasn't there but he would see them soon. The two did a little flip before settling in the sand under Serina's clam bed. Giving a little sigh he got a soft thank you from her before sitting down next to his cousin and wrapping his arms around her. "Don't worry, with me here what could go wrong?" getting a shock on his arm. "Everything will work out, it's totally fucked right now but we'll work it out some how." with a grin he added, "Your Highness."

Serina rolled her eyes before relaxing in her cousins arms feeling a bit of relief for the first time in days. "I am so glad your here." closing her eyes they were both asleep before either knew it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick learns a few new things   
> Drake makes an impression, not sure if that's good or bad.

Chapter 5

The next morning Serina woke up to find herself in her bed without knowing how she had gotten there. Then sitting up straight as she remembered that Drake had arrived last night, he must have dropped her off in the bed before heading to his room two doors down. She yawned and stretched before looking at the clock. Ten-thirty, damn classes had already started. Jumping up she took a quick shower and dressed then headed to the kitchen only to stop in her tracks at the sight in front of her. There was Drake dancing with Dora as he sang Elvis's Rock A Hula while Neo was reading the paper and Mariana was cooking breakfast. "Want to explain why no one woke me up?" She asked standing there with her hands on her hips

Drake pushed Dora in front of him like a shield, "Oh no, we're in trouble." 

Shaking her head Dora laughed, "Rina I tried to wake you up but when I went to check on you, you were snoring on uncle Drakes lap."

Serina cocked her head, "So it's uncle Drake now?" smiling when Dora shrugged and stepped to the side as Drake stepped forward. 

"Now hoahanau, you were exhausted. You didn't even wake up when I put you to bed." Drake said coming over pushing her towards the table where Mariana was setting a plate down for her.

"Morning... Serina," Mariana greeted her with a smile.

"Ya know it's almost worth missing a few classes to hear you call me that." giving the older woman a kiss on the cheek. "Dora why don't you get dressed while I eat then we need to get to the school. I'm sure Nick is worried about us."

Drake sat next to Neo and poked him in the ribs, "Ahh, isn't it sweet, she's worried about her mate." making kissing noises.

Dora laughed as the water faucet turned on and Drake suddenly had a ball of water dropped on his head. "I don't think Rina is at the teasing point yet." she called out as she skipped out of the room.

Taking up the napkin in front of him Drake shook his hair out then wiped his face. "This is the treatment I get." he asked Neo. "I think little miss Queenie here doesn't appreciate my finer qualities."

"Do you want to go for a swim?" Neo asked him when he saw the look on Serina's face. "Because you're about ten seconds from getting tossed in the pool."

"Be nice both of you." Mariana scolded them. "Serina's in a tight spot right now. We should be helping her not teasing her." As she sat between the two men. It was like the last sixty years had never happened, overnight Neo and Drake were back to the teasing manner they had always shared.

"Thank you Mariana, at least I have you on my side." Serina smiled as she took a bite of the omelet in front of her.

"You're welcome. Besides you can't help it if your emotions are on high alert. You're libido has skipped in to high gear, it's just part of finding your mate." Mariana added with a grin.

Setting her fork down, "Tell me again why I keep you all around." as Neo grinned and Drake openly laughed.

Dora came in laughing, "Chill out Queenie we've got to get to school." kissing her mother who grinned. 

Finishing her breakfast Serina took her plate to the kitchen sink, "Alright you've got a reprieve." giving her cousin a hug from behind. "Do me a favor and try not to tick Neo off."

Drake grabbed his heart, "You wound me hoahanau. I promise to be on my best behavior."

Serina shook her head, "Now why don't I believe you." Thirty minutes later they were walking into the schools office with a fake note Neo had thought to give them at the last minute. Since there was only ten minutes until the next class they were waiting in the hall when the bell rang and kids started pouring out. Serina actually felt the tension leave Nick when he saw them, "Where have you been?" he said pulling them into the classroom. "I've been a nervous wreck all morning. I half expected the men in black to show up and grab me out of my classroom."

Dora felt bad seeing how worried Nick was, "Nick, I'm sorry, it was my fault," looking at Serina.

"Dora it's okay," patting her friends arm. "Nick believe it or not I over slept. My cousin flew in last night and we were up late talking." taking his hand. "I'm sorry you were worried, that's the last thing I want." trying to ignore the tingle in her arm.

Nick sighed taking a step closer to her leaning his head against hers not even realizing how intimate it looked to everyone that was walking in. "I was just worried about you. I thought maybe your people..."

Brushing the hair out of his eyes she leaned back and smiled. "Trust me no one gets on my property without me knowing it."

When Mako walked in and whistled at them Nick stepped back blushing a little. "Sorry," taking his seat between her and Dora. "So your cousin is there, I guess that means I need to lay low until she leaves."

Serina laughed causing Dora to look at her. "She is a he and no, Drake is here to help you."

Nick sat up, "Are you sure that it's safe?" he was just getting comfortable with them and now he had to worry about her cousin.

"Perfectly, Drake is cool," Dora said patting his back. "Remember he's the first one that I've met too. He's even my god father and calls the king High King Tightass."

Turning to Dora Nick raised his eyebrow, "Really?" turning back to Serina he sent Scott to sit down without even realizing he had done that when he had headed for them. "So he's cool with me? Cause I don't want you getting in trouble."

Shaking her head Serina wondered if she would ever get used to someone worrying about her instead of the other way around. "It'll be fine, Drake lives in Hawaii and is a total surfer dude."

"He has the horrible Hawaiian shirts to prove it." Dora added as the teacher came in calling for everyone’s attention.

Nick was doing his best to pay attention but kept finding himself staring at Serina. When she hadn't arrived that morning he had felt like a vise was pinching his chest. Finding her and Dora in the hallway, it had taken every once of strength not to grab her to him. "Are you sure everything is okay?" he asked her telepathically.

She nodded, "I promise everything is fine. Now pay attention or I'll sic the Tangs on you tonight."

Nick was finding it too easy to talk to her like this, "Tonight? I thought I was coming over this weekend."

"Things are changing quicker than I thought they would. You need to be ready and unfortunately I have a few business matters to take care of." Serina paused to answer a question from the teacher. "Why do children need to know different writing styles, I can honestly say that in the last 84 years it has never been something I needed to use."

Nick was finally able to relax as he covered his laugh with a cough. They kept up a steady conversation through the rest of the class. Nonsense stuff about his life in Oklahoma and how even then he had loved everything about the ocean. She told him small things about his dad like how much of a mischief maker he was at the palace. She knew how much even the littlest details about his dad meant to him. Like when Leo was teaching Serina how to communicate with sea mammals and she had gotten aggravated and accidentally set an electric eel on him that made his hair stand out for the rest of the day. He told her about the one time he had disobeyed his mother and went to the beach with a friend and his family. All he had done was stand by the water and a wave had came up to his knees, he had fallen down screaming from the pain. The life guard had pulled him out and nothing had happened, but his friends mother had called Mary and she had shown up pouring fresh water on him telling them all that he was allergic to salt water. It had scared him so bad that he had stayed away from the beach, including his back yard, for years.

During lunch Nick called his mom to tell her he would be late, that Serina wanted him to come to her place to practice after school. Mary wasn't thrilled but she knew she couldn't stop him, technically he was an adult now and he did need to learn about his people. He promised to call later to let her know how late he'd be since he wasn't sure what her cousin was going to be like. Dora spent most of her lunch hour with Lena looking very cozy on the back steps of the portable they had used before. Serina had started out being annoyed by all of Nicks friends who kept interrupting them but after he told her to relax and channel her inner child she found they weren't as annoying as they seemed. Mako, who she found out took the name from the shark that had left a huge scar on his leg when he was six, was flirtatious but she learned he was also very protective of his friends. In a way he reminded her a little of Drake, both were fun loving but willing to fight when needed.

Dallas, one of the schools cheerleaders, and her boyfriend Scott were actually quite nice once she started talking to them. Both were graduating with Nick at the end of the year and were planning on moving-in together while going to the local community college. With her abilities Serina discovered that Dallas's step mother was verbally abusive to her and Scott was the only one that knew about it. He tried to protect her as much as possible and already had a good job as a mechanic in his uncles shop so they had been saving for an apartment for the last year. Serina hated seeing anyone being abused, human or Antarian, and made a note to find out what she could do to help, even if it was just to buy them a place to live.

Maybe it was part of being a mate but the more time she spent with Nick and his friends the more she started seeing them the way he did. The only one that bothered her was Lena's brother Josh, sometimes he was too quite and would just sit watching them. At the end of the day she and Dora met Nick outside the auto shop. He was laughing at something his friends were talking about and Serina had to stop and just admire him, her mate. He wasn't as tall as most Antarians but than again she was the smallest in her family and Nick was a couple inches taller than she was. He was built like the other males in his family line, with broad shoulders and lots of muscle. He was simply perfect to her, the way he had just accepted the truth and, laughing to herself, dived right in literally had been surprising. If it took the exposure of her people to keep him safe then god help them all because she would do just that.

Mako looked up and saw Serina looking at them with her sister. Dora was talking to Lena who he happy to see blushing at something the taller girl had whispered in her ear but it was the way Serina was staring at Nick that made him grin. Putting his arm around Nick he smiled, "You know what I would be jealous if it wasn't for the fact that this is the first time since I've known you that you've got the girl. And damn if you didn't pick the best to start with."

Nick looked at him, "What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on Nick," Kenny, one of the other kids in auto shop with them, nudged Nick in his side. "When you and Serina are next to each other the air practically sizzles. You got to admit she’s one of the hottest pieces of ass to come through this place in a long time."

Without warning Kenny found himself up against the wall with Nick's arm across his throat. "Do yourself a favor and keep the comments about Serina to yourself." his eyes flashing. 

"Nick!" Serina rushed to him while the others were too stunned to anything but stand there. Grabbing his arm, "Nick let him down," she saw the other boy turning blue. "Nicholas please, you don't want to hurt him." when that didn't help she gave him a little jolt of electricity.

The second he let go Kenny dropped to his knees and the other boys grabbed Nick pulling him back. "Serina is off limits do you understand me." Kenny nodded gasping for air. "Good, make sure everyone else knows it to." turning to Serina he noticed she still had a hold of his arm. "Let's get out of here."

"Whoa hold on," Mako stepped in front of them with Scott and Benny behind him. "What the hell was that?" looking at Nick. "I ain't never seen you do something like that."

"You had him off his feet Nick." Benny was in shock. "What the hell? First you hit Mako, now this. What is going on with you?"

To their surprise he pulled Serina to his side, "Nobody is going to disrespect Serina, I don't care who they are. Now we're leaving." stepping around them the three of them made it to Serina's car with the kids parting to let them pass. Serina didn't need to read their minds to know what they were thinking.

Once they pulled out of the parking lot Dora turned to Nick while Serina drove. "Holy hell Nick what were you thinking. I thought you got the part where you're suppose to lay low. You know not draw attention to yourself."

"Leave him alone Dora." she knew why he had did it but still... "Are you okay Nick?"

Nick looked up at the mirror and saw her looking at her. "Am I okay? Ahh, No! Why did I do that? I've never even hit another person and I almost choked Kenny to death."

Dora shook her head, "Yeah we saw that. What did he say that pissed you off like that?" she had to ask.

Nick rubbed his head, everything was mixed up, "He made a comment I didn't like... about Serina."

The light bulb went off for Dora and she looked at Serina. "Oh shit."

"What?" Nick saw her expression and sat up. "Do you know? Am I having some kind of Antarian fit or something, cause it would have been nice if you had warned me." When she wouldn't answer he turned to Serina. "Serina please am I going to hurt someone?"

Serina sighed, "No Nick, you're not going to hurt anyone. This is kind of awkward okay. Right now your emotions are in overdrive. You   
just need to learn how to channel them instead of giving into them."

Dora laughed, "Oh for gods sake tell him the truth. It's just going to get worse if you don't do something about it."

"Dora enough." Serina looked at her.

Seeing the tension between the girls Nick shook his head. "Serina please if you know why I practically went Hulk on Kenny I need to know."

Giving up Serina stopped the car and told Dora to drive while she got in the back seat with Nick. As soon as they were moving again she took Nicks hand, "Nick there are a few aspects of being a male Antarian that I was hoping you'd go over with either Neo or Drake. That's why I called him to take over your training," holding up their conjoined hands. 

"Is this like some kind of puberty thing?" he asked.

Dora burst out laughing, "In a way. It's actually more of a biological imprint."

Serina gave Dora a mental push to leave them alone, "It's a territorial thing Nick, you were just defending a female of your race. It was completely natural to us." as they pulled up to the front gate.

Nick relaxed a little, when he had heard Kenny talking about Serina like that he hadn't even stopped to think he just reacted. "God they probably think I'm on drugs or something."

Dora shook her head laughing as she pulled into the driveway, "That would be one excuse you could go with or you could just let them think you two dating and you're very protective of her." she didn't miss the look Serina gave her as she got out leaving the two of them in   
the car alone.

"Nick," Serina reached up to cup his face, "This is as new to me as it is for you. I wasn't prepared to like you when I got sent here. I had just planed to find you and tell you to leave town if you were one of us or not even talk to you if you weren't."

Nick smiled, "You know I'm really glad that I am one of you." looking her in the eyes.

Serina started leaning into him when the door was flung open and Drakes, "Get a room." killed the moment.

Serina leaned her head against Nick for a second and sighed. "Remind me to kill him later." Getting out she saw her cousin grin. "Watch yourself hoahanau I can always send you to Greenland and replace you."

Drake put on his pitiful face and pulled her close. "You wouldn't know what to do without me and you know it." The only warning he got was a slight growl before Serina was pulled back into Nicks chest with his arms wrapped around her. Smiling Drake crossed his arms staring at Nick. "Well, well, someone's over protective."

Shaking her head Serina stepped away from them both. "Nick calm down, this is my cousin Drake. Drake this is Nicholas Lionus, Leo's son." And my mate, she added telepathically. "So be nice, Leo was your friend too. And Nick already discovered his over protective side at the school." giving Nick a warning glance that didn't have to much effect since she was smiling.

Drake whistled, "Damn! Is the body in the car? Do you need help burying it or can he call a shark to shore?" grinning.

"I didn't kill him," Nick sputtered, "Just choked him a little." ducking his head slightly embarrassed as he studied the new Antarian. Like Dora's father he had dark hair but bright hazel eyes that sparkled with humor as he watched them. Nick wasn't sure if he liked him or not.

To his surprise Drake laughed and pulled him into a quick hug. "Dude you're father would be so proud of you. And don't worry about the territorial thing, man Neo knocked me on my ass in the middle of the royal court the one time I hit on Mariana." Letting go he stepped back but leaned closer to loudly whisper, "In my defense they had not made any official announcement at that point so she was still fair game."

He didn't see Neo come up behind him until he felt the slap to his head. "Quit trying to be a smartass. Nick it's good to see you again," Nodding to Nick while Drake rubbed his head. "The best thing to do with Drake is to only believe half of the stories he tells you and remember there's always two sides to everything. Serina the local office called, something about another short shipment so I have to head to the office."

"Another one?" Serina didn't sound happy. "If you need anything give me a call. Oh and find out who was responsible for packing the shipment. If it's one of us fire them, if it's a lander move them to another department." He nodded heading to the garage and Serina turned back to Nick and Drake.

"Touchy much," Drake smirked. "It's okay, I know you're under a lot of pressure right now." taking off when she took a step towards him. "Nick get undressed and meet me in the pool, Jewel and Pierce are looking for you." he yelled out on the way.

Nick wasn't sure what to make of the new Antarian but he was at least entertaining. Serina was pinching the bridge of her nose doing her best not to laugh. "Jesus, how can he be over two hundred years older than me and still act like a child." it was one of his most endearing traits but Nick didn't need to know that. Dear god she could just imagine the trouble the two of them could get into if they weren't careful. Taking Nicks arm she led him through the house, "Don't worry he's harmless." without thinking she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "You two go have fun. I have some calls to make and then I'll join you." 

Nick watched her walk away, "She's something else isn't she?" Dora said watching Nick from the living room. "Don't worry, Drake's cool Nick. He's Serina’s favorite cousin. He's not competition for her."

"Compo... Dora I don't think...."

She stood up and came over to Nick, "Please, I may not have a tail but I do have eyes. You're totally in love with her and believe me she cares about you too, more than you know." leaving him standing alone and confused.

Ten minutes later he was standing next to the pool in the robe Serina had left for him in what he guessed was his bedroom. To his surprise Drake was already in the pool but like Dora he still had legs at least until he spotted Nick and swam over. As soon as he got under the waterfall Nick saw a flash of orange and black pass under the opening. Dropping the robe he took a deep breath and dropped into the water. The comfort and peace engulfed him as he felt the change and opened his eyes to see Drake floating in front of him. His legs had been replaced with an orange tail highlighted with yellow and black, "For a second I thought you were like Dora." Nick joked.

"High King Tightass would never have given me the South Pacific House if I was. No my trick is just that I can control when the tails comes out, in or out of the water, otherwise it would suck on dawn patrol." looking Nick over as he swam around him. "Damn you do look like your father, wide shoulders and everything."

Nick flicked his tail taking off for the reef. "Serina said the same thing." smiling as the Tang came over as soon as he entered the grotto. "Hey shadow, you miss me." holding his hand out for the fish to swim into it. "I don't think I will ever get used to this." he said as Drake came over to him.

"Yeah I'll remind you of that when a great white wants to play fetch." Drake had to admit Serina was right, this kid was powerful. A lot more than his father had been. "So how are you handling all this?"

Nick laughed, "Better now. When my mom told me I thought I was going to have to have her committed."

Drake felt a small pain in his chest, his mother had died shortly after his birth and he had lost his father to Titus's madness. Even at his age it still hurt to be an orphan. Shaking his head he flipped his tail causing him to speed forward leaving Nick to follow him into the other cavern. "I can't imaging what finding this stuff out must have been like, when you knew nothing of it."

Catching up to the other Antarian male Nick shrugged, "Let's just say my room took the brunt of my anger. So what exactly does Serina want you to teach me?"

An hour later when Serina joined them Nick had to fight not to blush after Drake had given him the in’s and out’s of Antarian mating. Including why he had been dreaming about her for nearly a year before they had even met. It was just his luck. First he finds out that he's a merman and now he skipped the whole dating thing and found his mate. Not that he had told Drake he had been dreaming about Serina, he figured he should tell her that first.

"So Nick do you feel like trying out the open ocean?" Serina asked as she swam up to them.

Nick pushed the tension aside and grinned, "Oh yeah. I think I was born ready."

Drake slapped his back, "I think he's ready for anything you can throw at him hoahanau." he suddenly felt shocks coming from both sides. “Shit! Learn to take a joke guys." rubbing his backside. "I think I'll go take my chances with the waves." turning he headed for the tunnel that Nick had seen Jewel and Pierce using to get back and forth.

Serina watched Nick as Drake swam off, "Nick are you okay? If Drake said or did..."

Nick turned to her, "No nothing like that, he was pretty cool about everything. He just gave me a few things to think about." looking at the tangs so she wouldn't see him blush again.

Serina felt a wave of desire so strong she couldn't stop herself from taking his arm. "Anything in particular? Maybe I could explain better."

Looking down at her hand wrapped around his arm he reached out and covered it with his own. "I'm not sure you'd want to know."

"Try me." flicking her tail slightly so that she was practically leaning against him.

For someone who had never really had experience with the opposite sex Nick was a natural. Wrapping his free arm around her waist Nick pulled Serina in front of him, it surprised her enough that she let go of his arm and he used that to cup the back of her head as he leaned in and kissed her. Energy flowed between them as Serina gave in and wrapped her arms around Nicks neck as they floated there in the middle of her grotto. Without thinking Nick swung his tail backing them both up to the wall under Serina’s window as he kissed her. Nick wasn't sure if it was an Antarian trait or if it was because he was kissing Serina but every inch of his body felt electrified.

Serina was glad they were in the water so she hadn't made a fool of herself by going weak kneed or passing out. Damn her mate knew how to kiss, so much better than anyone she had ever been involved with before. Not that there were many, and she had never been involved with another of her kind only humans when she had been in school. None of them had ever effected her like this and she finally understood a little of her fathers loss when her mother had died. Nick was alive and well and she swore she would turn this planet on its ear to keep him that way. 

Nick was running on pure instinct, something Drake had explained would happen, as he reached down to cup the back of Serina’s tail bringing her flush against him. He was certain he would have had his first time within minutes if Drake hadn't chosen that second to pop back in calling out. "Yo the waves are sweet out here. Damn now I wish I had brought my board off the plane."

Serina pulled back enough that the cold water worked to calm them both down as it rushed between their bodies. Leaning her head against his she grinned, "Remind me to kill him later."

Nick laughed, "Screw that, let’s see if there are any sharks out there I can sic on him." breathing deep as he got himself under control. "Serina I..."

She put a finger to his lips, "Not now. I promise we'll talk later but for now let’s just see what the ocean has in store for us." Holding out her hand she smiled as he took it. "Besides I think Jewel is waiting for you and I'd hate for her to blame me for keeping you away."

Nick wasn't able to find a shark to go after Drake that day but both Jewel and Pierce spent a while trying to stab him with their tails until he muttered something about them having no sense of humor and took off back to the cave. Serina and Nick spent a few hours alone swimming off the coast stealing kisses and chasing each other through the waves. It wasn't until they were drying off that Nick realized it had been exactly like one of his earlier dreams. "Serina..."

Wrapping the towel he handed her around her she looked at him. "Yes, Nick?"

Grabbing his own towel he sat down covering his lower half. "I... that is... Well Drake told me that for Antarians..." turning a bright red he rushed to get it out before he lost his nerve. "That Antarians only have one mate for life. Is that true?"

Here she was the head of one of the largest tech firm in the world and she had to swallow before speaking. "Yes Nick it is. At least with a true mate that is, but those are hard to find so most of us tend to have..." trying to find the right words. "relationships for companionship mostly until they find their true mate."

"And you know who that is because you dream about them right?" god I sound like an idiot Nick thought to himself.

Watching his face she tried to figure out if he was happy or terrified about what he was about to learn. "That's one way," she said softly not wanting to spook him. "Another is the hypervolic charge." he looked at her funny and she smiled, apparently Drake hadn't explained everything. "It's the electric charge or pull between mates. At times it can be irresistible." taking his hand she heard him suck in a sharp breath. "Nick...

Feeling the static between them he looked her in the eyes, again thinking how beautiful they were. "Today, swimming with you out there, I've seen it before. I dreamed it over a year ago. It's one reason I was so determined to get that scholarship." when she didn't say anything he went on, "I had to find a way under water, I had to find you even though I had no idea you were real. Serina I don't want to jump to conclusions here but..."

"You're my mate." Serina finished for him. 

Nick looked startled for a minute. "Are you sure because..."

Serina laughed, god he was so perfect for her. "I've known for a few days now. It's why I called Drake." keeping a grip on his hand when he tried to pull a way. "This," showing him the spark between their fingers, "it's part of the mating bond."

"So this is okay?" she nodded. "Okay. Um just so you know I've never dated anyone. I guess I was just waiting for you."

When he smiled she suddenly felt like the heroine of an old movie, weak knees and all. "Neither have I Nick. The last person I went out with was in the 90's."

The hissing of the chamber door stopped them from kissing again but at least Drake wasn't waiting for them to come out. As Serina was getting ready to drive Nick home Drake grabbed the keys from her saying he though her mate might want to talk. Reluctantly she told him she'd see him in the morning and gave him a kiss goodnight. The two were backed against the door when her cousin honked. "I really do need to kill him." she laughed as they pulled apart.

"He's a pain in the ass." Nick grinned, "But I like him."

"I'm glad. Once everything is settled I think you'll like most of my family. At least I hope so." If they were still speaking to her that was.

"If they're anything like you I'm sure I will." with one last kiss they drove away.

Serina stood there going over things in her head until Dora opened the door. "Man have you got it bad."

Smiling Serina walked in arm around Dora’s shoulder. "You just wait until you meet your mate. I reserve the right to tease the hell out of you."

Dora bit her lip and raised her eyebrow, "I'm sure I can keep it together better than you. Uncle Drake said you two nearly did it in the grotto already."

Blushing was new for Serina but she felt the heat on her face. "I've already threatened to kill him three times since we got home. Don't make me go after you next."

"Oh please you love me." Dora skipped off to find her mother.

Serina went to make plans and call another cousin. She had a surprise for Nick that she hoped wouldn't be too much too soon. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Mary heard the door open from the kitchen and then Nick laughing. "Are you serious? He road a great white up to the palace entrance?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die. I thought his mother was going to have a coronary she was so embarrassed." 

Mary heard another mans voice and looked out to see her son and a dark hair young man a few years older than Nick. "Your grandfather just laughed and said that's my boy." he said slapping her son on the back. "The way you sent your rays after me your dad would be so proud." Mary must have made a sound as she realized the man was another Antarian. "Opps. I think your mom caught us." bowing to Mary Drake put on his best smile. "Forgive my rudeness Lady Lionus. I should have asked your permission before telling embarrassing stories about your late husband to your son. My only excuse is the joy of being united with my friends son, who we thought lost to us for so long."

Nick busted out laughing, "Mom ignore him." turning to Drake he slapped him on the head like Serina had done earlier. "She not impressed by people sucking up."

Drake stood up with a grin, "Ah but as a male Antarian it's our duty to see to the comfort and happiness of our females. Especially those as lovely and elegant as Lady Lionus." 

Mary was speechless as the man winked at her. In her sweats and t-shirt she'd hardly call herself elegant. "Nick stop!" she managed as her son slapped the man's head again.

Drake rubbed the back of his head as he looked at her and shrugged, "My sad lot in life, to always be surrounded by friends that think I'm a punching bag. Lord Drake Rinaldi, at your service." he took her hand and kissed it. "It is truly an honor to meet the woman capable of capturing Leo's heart."

Mary blushed, it had been a long time since someone had flattered her so thoroughly. "Well thank you, it's very nice to meet you too. How..." looking at Nick.

"He's Serina's cousin," her son explained. "She thought he would be better at handling the... more..."

"Antarian sex." Drake laughed as the mother and son both turned red.

Pulling him self together Nick took his moms arm and lead her to the couch. "You remember the drawings I showed you and the dream we talked about."

Oh yes, Mary thought. "It's Serina isn't it. I thought they looked a lot like her."

"Leave it to me to go straight from no social life to having a mate." Nick laughed. The whole idea was hilarious to him but he couldn't say he was disappointed.

Looking up at Drake, who had followed them, "So she called you to take over because she can't get near him without wanting to jump his bones."

"MOM!!!" Nick felt like burying his head in the couch.

"Basically." Drake grinned when Nick groaned. On the drive over he had told Nick that finding a mate, something he wished he could find for himself, was like sticking your tongue in a light socket. Thrilling as hell but dangerous. He said not to bother fighting it, it was nature pure and simple, but if he hurt her he'd be the one running from the sharks.

"Nicky it's nothing to be embarrassed about." Not only was he discovering his Antarian roots now he had a mate. As if losing him to the ocean wasn't enough for her to worry about. "You have no idea how wonderful it is to find your other half. I like Serina and I think you two will be very happy once everything is straightened out. I'm so happy for you baby." kissing his forehead she stood up. "But it's still a school night and you're mine until you graduate. So off to bed."

Drake started laughing and Nick glared at him. "Don't look at me for support. You have no idea how lucky you are to have a mother   
who cares about you. My mother died the day I was born so trust me don't take her for granted."

Nick stood up," Believe me I don't." he kissed his mom and surprised Drake by hugging him quickly. "I'm sorry about your mom and thanks for everything. I guess I'll see you after school tomorrow. Night guys." heading upstairs he had a lot of things to straighten out in his head.

As soon as his door shut Mary turned to Drake. "You'll have to forgive me but I wasn't expecting such a warm welcome. From what little Leo told me I thought I'd be under a death sentence by your race."

Turning serious Drake nodded, "It depends on who you meet. Leo was a friend and I had every intention of fighting Titus for his freedom to love whoever he wanted when he was arrested. Unfortunately I have been running the South Pacific House for decades and the one time he needed me the volcano on the big island erupted and kept me from getting to the palace to save him. For that alone you and your son have me apologies and my protection." looking up the stairs. "He's a lot like Leo when he was younger," turning to Mary he winked again. "But much better behaved."

For some reason Mary believed him, "Thank you. I've spent the last eighteen years terrified of someone finding us but I'm so thankful it was Serina." sitting down again she motioned for him to join her. "I can't believe he met his mate already."

"I can't believe Serina did." he laughed. "She called me last night saying High King Tightass was trying to kill her mate. One minute I was riding a wave in and the next I was on a plane."

"She seems like a wonderful person." Mary sat back. "I hate to ask but knowing she's his mate can you tell me about her. All I know is that your king sent her to kill Nick if he was Leo's son. At least I don't have to worry she might change her mind anymore."

Leaning forward Drake patted her hand. "Trust me she will do anything she has to do to protect him and believe me she is perfectly capable of doing just that. Titus made a mistake sending her because out of all of the royal court she is the only one who has ever stood up to him, myself included. The man is completely insane if he thinks he can control her and I will stand behind her and Nick till my dying breath if it comes to it."

"Is it wrong for me to hope it doesn't?" she sighed feeling a little better about things.

"Not at all." the merman nodded. "But don't let my good looks fool you." he flirted. "I look all sophisticated and easy going but I've been around a long time and have fought in my share of wars. Everything from a sword to a machine gun and if it comes to it I would happily gut Titus for the crimes he's committed against both our races."

Mary was stunned by the hatred in the mans voice, "Leo never told me much about Antarians, just the basics, so I guess I'm learning with Nick. But I would imagine you have your reasons for hating him, just as I do."

"For Leo and many more," Drake nodded. "When I was only 22 he started limiting our peoples involvement on land. When his siblings questioned his reason, just questioned him, he had them imprisoned and then executed. Along with anyone he suspected of working with them, my father along with them."

"What?" Mary suddenly saw why Serina had called him. 

"To be honest as much as I hate claiming him Titus is my uncle. My mother was his youngest sister and he knew that my father was the only parent I had left but he didn't care. Our people are still considered children until they reach one hundred years old and he chose to make me an orphan at 22, a baby in their eyes." sucking in a deep breath he smiled, "I will hate that man until the day one of us is dead. And if I can piss him off by helping Serina and Nick," standing up he saw her join him. "Then my lady they will have my support and considerable resources at their back. I can also tell you that there are many of us that want Titus removed from the throne and god willing that day will be soon for all of our sake's."

"But will whoever replaces him be any better?" she had to ask and from the way he smiled she guessed she had her answer.

"Believe me the person who will replace him will bring a golden age of peace and grandeur back to our people and I have the feeling that we won't be a secret much longer. The future ruler believes that the human race is ready to know we exist."

"Oh god! I don't know if I'm even ready for that myself." Mary gasped.

Drake suddenly hugged her quickly then let go. "You and me both, but it's up to Titus and his heir."

"Who is the heir?" Mary had a funny feeling in her gut as she asked that.

Drake knew Serina didn't want them to know just yet and smiled, "Trust me they're on our side." Grabbing the keys out of his pocket. "I better get Rina her car back before she thinks I went to Vegas with Nick."

"Oh lord please no. With his math skills he'd land in jail and I'd have to bail him out." laughing Mary locked the door after he left then poured herself a drink. She had a lot of thinking to do.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't posted in a while but unfortunately, real-life got in the way. I had to deal with the sudden and unexpected death of my uncle in a completely avoidable accident and the two year anniversary of my dad's death.
> 
> Anyway enough sad news, I'm starting to write again and hope to continue this story in the near future. In the meantime here's a short chapter to prove I have not fallen off the face of the earth.

Chapter 6

After spending half the night tossing and turning Nick was not in a very good mood the next morning. It didn't help that his mom had taken one look at him and said, "Good dreams?" before walking off with a laugh to fix breakfast. Just before he headed for the bus stop there was a knock on his door. His mom went to answer it while he went to get his book bag but she met him at the door. "This is for you."

Taking the envelope a little surprised. "For me? Who sends me mail?"

"It's a registered letter, I had to sign for it." she told him crossing her arms. "Well open it. I'm not waiting all day to find out. I think I've had enough surprises for a while thank you."

Dropping his bag he tore open the package and dumped the contents on the coffee table. There was a sheet of paper, a set of keys, and what looked like a bank book. Opening the book Nick had to blink twice at the balance and the fact that it had his name on it. 

Mary had grabbed the letter. "It's from someone named Narissa Guerin, Nick." she read to him while he kept blinking at the numbers on the bank book. "Dear Mr. Ruthers as per Serina’s instruction here is your endowment from the Antarian Trust. Cousin Serina informed me of your bond and I couldn't be happier that she’s found someone. I look forward to meeting you at your bonding ceremony, hopefully in the near future. Your future cousin Narissa, Head of the South Atlantic House and Treasury. P.S. the keys are to your mating present from my wife Clara and I.” Mary held up the letter. “What is going on Nicky?"

Nick jumped up and went to the door, when he opened it a new silver 2018 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, he had to laugh at that, was sitting in their driveway. "Holy crap mom. They gave me a car."

"If she runs the treasury what else did she send?" his mom asked as she whistled at the car.

Nick took the key and opened the door, shit it really opened it he thought. "A bank account in my name with a million dollars in it," he told his mom as he sat behind the wheel thankful he'd had a license since he was sixteen. "Dora mentioned the trust a few days ago but I didn't know they had set anything up for me."

Mary just shook her head, "Well I guess we can spend your car fund on something else then." he had been saving for the last two years to get his own car before starting college.

"You don't care if I keep this?" he wanted to make sure.

Mary knelt down next to him, "Not at all honey. You've worked so hard and been so wonderful during all of this, you deserve it. Although I'm a little jealous that your car is better than mine." Not that she didn't love her car but damn this was a convertible. Besides, she figured they owed him something for making him grow up without his father.

"I may even let you drive it." Nick joked as he checked to see if there was a tag, and there was, then found the registration and paperwork in the glovebox. A quick call to his mom's insurance agent and he was out the door driving to school with a grin on his face.

Pulling in he found Dora standing in the space next to Serina’s car waiting for him. "Damn they did good," she said as he got out.

"How'd you find out? They just delivered it an hour ago." giving her a hug.

"I have spy’s everywhere." she joked.

Serina came out of the office with a parking sticker and smiled. Nick pulled her close as soon as she was in arms reach kissing her until he heard Mako whistle behind them. "Damn this mate thing is intense."

"Tell me about it," she whispered as they were bombarded with Nicks friends wanting to know where the car came from. For once she stayed silent letting her mate handle it.

"A new cousin sent it to me. Said it was eighteen years' worth of birthday and Christmas presents. I about choked when I saw it this morning." grinning at Serina.

The rest of the week seemed to speed by after that. Nick woke up, went to school then went to Sarina’s where Drake and Neo, along with the girls, gave him a crash course of Antarian history and rules. Nick was just glad he was catching on fast, the only confusing parts were the royal houses which Drake just laughed at. "I've been running Hawaii for almost sixty years dude and I still can't remember who runs what. I just call them Dudes and Dudette’s and they leave me alone." shrugging with a grin.

Serina had told him she had called her cousin but had told her to keep it quiet since her father didn't know she had met her mate yet. "Sissy won't say anything to anyone but I still didn't tell her who you are other than your name. I told her we met at work and that you just transferred to land to be with me. She and Clara thought it was romantic."

His friends at school had learned quickly not to say anything about Serina or Dora around him but he had bought Kenny an Xbox as a sorry I tried to choke you bribe. It worked but he read a few of the kids and learned some of them were afraid of him now which kind of sucked. Thank god there were only a few weeks until graduation.

Wanting to make it up to him Serina invited everyone to her house Saturday night for a party. Neo and Mariana had gone to San Francisco to meet with their families for the first time since they had been exiled but Dora had stayed behind saying, "Go make sure they're okay with everything before I meet them. I don't want to show up and have to be something I'm not." They all knew she was scared they would reject her but hadn't said anything.

Drake had stayed behind of course. Like he'd ever miss a party. He had called the office and told his VP to handle things for the next month, that he was helping Serina with a project that was going to revolutionize the world and needed some time off and to call only in an emergency.

Mako, Benny, and Josh kept looking around the house, not believing the size of it or the pool. The only downside was that Nick couldn't go swimming with them since they knew he was supposed to be allergic to saltwater.

Scott and Dallas had been very quiet and Serina noticed that Scott was staying close to his girlfriend. After reading the girl Serina was ready to send the police after her so-called stepmother herself. The couple had been studying for finals and fallen asleep the night before. When she got home late Lisa had been waiting up for her calling her a slut and the school bike, saying she was sure the whole football team had ridden her. As it was Serina planned on having Neo look into the woman when he got back to see if there was anything she could do.

Shelly and Todd were camped out with Drake as he told them stories about life surfing in Hawaii. He had introduced himself as one of Nicks's newfound relatives that Serina had been kind enough to invite over.

Lena spent most of the night sitting on Dora's lap and watching them together was very interesting for Serina. The way Dora was holding the girl was enough for her to start wondering if she wasn't the only one who had found a mate. 

Lena's brother Josh kept watching them but Serina couldn't tell what he was thinking. He was one of the hardest people to read she had ever encountered. He had never really said anything but out of all of the friends he was the one she trusted the least.

"Man this place is off the charts." Mako joked joining Nick and Serina after leaving the pool. "How did your parents find this place?"

"It's been in my family for years so when we decided to move to Cali we got the keys," Serina told them as she sipped the watermelon smoothie Drake had made for everyone.

"I can't thank you enough for inviting me, Serina." the older Antarian smiled. "It's been so nice getting to know my new cousin."

Serina shook her head at his antics, "You're more than welcome. I hope one day Nick gets the chance to meet all of his relatives."

"As an orphan myself I can honestly say I wish that as well." Drake nodded.

"Oh you poor thing," Shelly said wrapping herself around his arm.

"Jail bait," Serina sent silently to her cousin, "I'm sorry to hear that, but you seem to be doing well for yourself."

"Oh I try, but my boss can be a real slave driver." he grinned "So cousin," he turned to Nick. "Aunt Narcissa and Aunt Clara said they sent you a car, how do you like it."

"I love my car." Nick grinned taking Serina's hand. For some reason, he needed a connection with so many guys around. "Please tell them I said thank you the next time you talk to them. She didn't give me a phone number in her letter so I could only send her a card."

"I'll do that," Drake smirked.

Josh had the feeling that something wasn't right with the conversation. "So what do your parents do? I don't think you've ever said," he asked the girls.

"Josh, stop being a dick," Lena said tossing a chip at him from Dora’s lap.

Serina didn't like being questioned but under the circumstances, she answered. "Have you ever heard of Delphin Science and Technologies?"

"Our dad is a Navy captain so Delphin comes up quite often." Leana smiled.

"Usually followed by a lot of cursing." Josh did laugh at that.

Lena smiled, "That damn company blocked our testing again yada, yada, yada."

"Well then let’s keep the fact that my dad is a major shareholder in the company to ourselves then." Dora groaned and gave Serina a look. "You never mentioned your dad was in the military." rubbing Lena's back.

"He's never around that much." Lena shrugged sadly. "But it's not like he doesn't care. He and mom have been nothing but supportive of me since I told them I was gay."

"He's a good dad, his carrier just gets in the way." Josh agreed. "When he's home he never misses a swim meet or Lena's academic decathlons."

"Captain Jack Jeffries, I've heard of him." Serina sat up, as well as Drake but Nick thought only he noticed. "He's in research and development isn't he." Or more correctly Naval Intelligence. He had been trying to get the rights to test a new nuclear missile from submarines less than a hundred miles from one of their Pacific cities. Which Serina had been blocking for over a year.

Lena laughed, "He gets teased a lot since Pirates of the Caribbean came out. Personally I think it's cute."

"And I think you're adorable." Dora smiled giving the other girl a kiss. 

Serina watched them closely. Since she had thought Lena was just a distraction for Dora she hadn't really gotten to know the girl. Now as she watched how hard it was for Dora to pull back and the way she constantly wanted to touch her even to just hold hands Serina knew. "Well, I'm just glad that we came here in the first place. I think both of us may have found something we've didn't even know we looking for." Earning a grin from her friend.

"Your dad must talk about our dad if he's with DST. The two don't really mix well." Josh joked.

Serina tried her best but this was one part of her life she couldn't put aside. "Well maybe if the military would leave certain parts of the oceans alone there wouldn't be a problem," she said smiling.

Josh lost his smile, "And maybe if the whale huggers would understand that there have to be areas for us to test weapons they'd realize that these areas are the least populated."

"Little boy you have no idea..." The only thing that kept her from pulling the princess act was Nick squeezing her hand.

Nick sat up, "Let's just agree to disagree at this point. This argument has been going on for years you're not going to settle it tonight."

Lena sat up looking at her brother. "I wish you would stop quoting dad. He's not always right you know." Dora looked at Serina with a grin as her girlfriend looked pissed. "Serina's right, we have no idea what damage those missiles are doing to the ecosystems."

"You know what, I think Nick is right." Dora sat up wrapping her arm around Lena. "Let's table this for now and just have fun. This is a party after all." standing up she held her hand out to Lena. "Come on let's show these stick in the muds how to have fun."

"Ohhh, I'm all for that." Drake stood up holding his hand out for Shelly, "Ever danced with an..."

"Drake!" Nick gave him a look. "No Merman jokes." he sent silently. "Play nice."

Shelly laughed and took his hand, "Forget that handsome, you can play as dirty as you want." dragging him out to the dance floor.

Serina watched Josh watching his sister and for the first time felt concern coming off him, if nothing else he did love his sister and wanted to protect her. "They're right, forgive me, Josh. We both want to make our parents proud and sometimes I forget that I'm not them."

Josh ducked his head running a hand through his dark hair. "Lena tells me that all the time." looking at Serina, "I guess we're both products of our parents thinking."

Laughing Serina stood up, "Oh Josh you have no idea. Tell you what, one day we'll sit down and you can tell me your views as long as you promise to listen to mine."

Standing up Josh held out his hand, "You got a deal." smiling as she shook his hand. "If only to get Nick to stop glaring daggers at me."

"Stop pissing my girlfriend off and I will," Nick said wrapping his arms around Serina from behind.

"Girlfriend?" Josh and Todd, who had just came over, both looked stunned. "I'd say I was surprised but I'm not. You two sizzle when you're closer together"

Todd slapped Nick on the back. "Congrats dude, you finally got the girl. I'm so proud. Shit!" he pulled back shaking his hand. 

"What happened?" Josh asked.

Todd laughed, "Nothing, just got shocked is all." looking at Nick a little funny.

After everyone left, Shelly too much to Drake's disappointment, Nick and Serina finally got into the pool. Swimming through the tunnel into the grotto he saw most of the fish asleep. Jewel and Pierce were eating in the clam bed but swam over when they saw them then settled into the sand after getting their rub down from Nick. "You spoil them, I'm going to run out of clams at this rate." Serina joked.

Nick smiled as they settled on to the sand under her window, arms wrapped around each other. "I can tell them to eat outside the grotto if you want me to," he told her kissing her forehead. Being with her under the water was every dream he had ever had come true. He had wanted to jump in when his friends were there so bad. He was proud of himself for not giving in though. It was like the last test before letting him get his swimming license, he thought to himself.

Rubbing his arm she smiled, "Not yet, but I think I better restock just to be safe."

"Thank you for tonight. This was fun, like a blending of the old and the new. I know I can't, and I won't, but I wish I could have told them about me."

"I wish you could too." She agreed. "Maybe once this is all settled we’ll find a way.” If she had to revel their existence they would find out anyway. Closing her eyes she leaned into his embrace and before she knew it they were both sound asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously my uncle fell at home and ended up in the hospital for three weeks then rehab for another three weeks. The day he came home he was so happy he went in to take a shower, fell, hit his head, and died. Sheldon was right lack of adhesive ducks can be deadly. Please don't think I'm making light of the situation because I'm not. I'm just so ticked off that this happened it's either laugh or cry myself to sleep. I choose to laugh, whether that is right or wrong that's how I have to look at life or I'd be the worst alcoholic on the planet.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you like. Leave me a comment if you do.


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